In the 18. century, industry, though still a minor factor in the total economy of the Habsburg Monarchy, over 80 per cent of the people lived on the land, was the object of special attention from statesman. To them industry connoted progress and showe...
In the 18. century, industry, though still a minor factor in the total economy of the Habsburg Monarchy, over 80 per cent of the people lived on the land, was the object of special attention from statesman. To them industry connoted progress and showed great promise of being the handmaiden to the evolving power of the modem state.
Generally, by birth assigned the roll of guardian of society, bohemian Gutsherr in 18. century was loath to admit openly to profit seeking, the goal of the businessman. Nevertheless, with various motivations and rationalizations, certain 'Gutsherr of birth' did find their way into business. Graf Johann Joseph von Waldstein was one of them. He was the founder of gutsherrliche Manufaktur that is the subject of this study. The internal operations of the Manufacture will be analyzed and described on the basis of 'a set of copper engravings' showing the technical processes within the plant and of business records.
This enterprise is interesting not only because its founder was a nobleman, but also because it was located on an agricultural estate which was organized on a medieval, manorial basis. In the more advanced west European countries the manorial system had for centuries been moribund if not dead. But further east one went in the early eighteenth century, the stronger the hold which the manorial pattern of society had retained. This pattern, although it entailed certain problems, represented humanitarian opportunities for the conscientious landowner. As the almost unquestioned master of his people and his properties, he could try to force the use of modem methods. Thus the strength tradition, despite its obstructing power, gave Habsburg noblemen like Graf Waldstein an important roll in the eighteenth century in opening the monarchy to new enterprise, new methods, and new technology.