Page 66 - Panjek, Aleksander, Jesper Larsson and Luca Mocarelli, eds. 2017. Integrated Peasant Economy in a Comparative Perspective: Alps, Scandinavia and Beyond. Koper: University of Primorska Press
P. 66
integr ated peasant economy in a compar ative perspective
mestic system was already established in linen manufacture, sieve-making
and the iron industry in the villages surrounding the town of Kranj (Žon-
tar 1982, 161). According to Žontar, in the Škofja Loka manor in the 18th cen-
tury “almost every peasant produced linen, for almost every house owned
a loom;” the putting-out system was also widely established in hosiery pro-
duction (Gestrin 1965, 194; Žontar 1956; Blaznik 1973, 289; Šorn 1984, 87–8,
98; Čepič et al. 1979, 339).
In the case of Upper Carniola, in addition to the above-mentioned ru-
ral crafts, the following are worthy of mention: tailoring, carpentry, ma-
sonry, coopery, inn-keeping and the milling industry, which were mainly
run by cottagers and landless peasants (Blaznik 1973, 280–4; Hodnik 1995a
34, 36; Mihelič 1999, 659). Transport also developed to a great extent; how-
ever, as stated by Valenčič, this “transport activity had a different character
and was used mostly for selling products of the local iron and linen indus-
tries. It was also partly connected with peasant trade. The carriers of iron
products to Trieste and Italy returned with cargoes of wine, most certain-
ly not for their own needs but for selling” (Valenčič 1981, 251). One of the
important transport connections they used ran via Škofja Loka across the
Poljane Valley and past the toll station in the settlement of Bača towards
the town Cividale and onwards to Friuli in the Republic of Venice.4 On
this route, smuggling also “prospered” (Blaznik 1973, 224). They transport-
ed linen, wine and livestock to Gorizia and the towns of Friuli. They bought
the livestock in Hungary, reared it on their farms and then sold it to the Re-
public of Venice via the Tolmin region (Blaznik 1973, 223; Gašperšič 1960,
152; Gestrin 1965). Also significant was the transport activity which subjects
performed for the needs of ironworks.5
2.2 The County of Gorizia
Let us move on to the County of Gorica, the region bordering on the Re-
public of Venice. In Slovenian historiography, the integrated peasant eco-
nomy in this area was primarily researched by Aleksander Panjek. In his
4 For more information on this transport connection and other connections, see e.g.
Blaznik 1966; Rajšp 1994.
5 Closely connected with the iron industry were e.g. carriers who transported ore and
charcoal to the village of Železniki, and iron products from Železniki (Blaznik 1973,
180). The ironworks beneath the Jelovica plateau mostly transported their products
via Bača towards Gorizia, Duino and Udine, or via the village of Col towards Tri-
este and Rijeka. Peasant carriers and ironworkers carried out most of the transport
in these parts (Šmitek 1989, 27, 30).
64
mestic system was already established in linen manufacture, sieve-making
and the iron industry in the villages surrounding the town of Kranj (Žon-
tar 1982, 161). According to Žontar, in the Škofja Loka manor in the 18th cen-
tury “almost every peasant produced linen, for almost every house owned
a loom;” the putting-out system was also widely established in hosiery pro-
duction (Gestrin 1965, 194; Žontar 1956; Blaznik 1973, 289; Šorn 1984, 87–8,
98; Čepič et al. 1979, 339).
In the case of Upper Carniola, in addition to the above-mentioned ru-
ral crafts, the following are worthy of mention: tailoring, carpentry, ma-
sonry, coopery, inn-keeping and the milling industry, which were mainly
run by cottagers and landless peasants (Blaznik 1973, 280–4; Hodnik 1995a
34, 36; Mihelič 1999, 659). Transport also developed to a great extent; how-
ever, as stated by Valenčič, this “transport activity had a different character
and was used mostly for selling products of the local iron and linen indus-
tries. It was also partly connected with peasant trade. The carriers of iron
products to Trieste and Italy returned with cargoes of wine, most certain-
ly not for their own needs but for selling” (Valenčič 1981, 251). One of the
important transport connections they used ran via Škofja Loka across the
Poljane Valley and past the toll station in the settlement of Bača towards
the town Cividale and onwards to Friuli in the Republic of Venice.4 On
this route, smuggling also “prospered” (Blaznik 1973, 224). They transport-
ed linen, wine and livestock to Gorizia and the towns of Friuli. They bought
the livestock in Hungary, reared it on their farms and then sold it to the Re-
public of Venice via the Tolmin region (Blaznik 1973, 223; Gašperšič 1960,
152; Gestrin 1965). Also significant was the transport activity which subjects
performed for the needs of ironworks.5
2.2 The County of Gorizia
Let us move on to the County of Gorica, the region bordering on the Re-
public of Venice. In Slovenian historiography, the integrated peasant eco-
nomy in this area was primarily researched by Aleksander Panjek. In his
4 For more information on this transport connection and other connections, see e.g.
Blaznik 1966; Rajšp 1994.
5 Closely connected with the iron industry were e.g. carriers who transported ore and
charcoal to the village of Železniki, and iron products from Železniki (Blaznik 1973,
180). The ironworks beneath the Jelovica plateau mostly transported their products
via Bača towards Gorizia, Duino and Udine, or via the village of Col towards Tri-
este and Rijeka. Peasant carriers and ironworkers carried out most of the transport
in these parts (Šmitek 1989, 27, 30).
64
