Page 220 - 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. 220
integr ated peasant economy in a compar ative perspective
the 1870s. This was probably connected with the fact that in 1872 Bazovica
became the administrative site of the eastern kartsic district before it was
moved to Opčine in 1885. This seems to be also proven by the immigration
that contributed 40% to the rise in population. In the 1880s and 1890s the
growth steadily declined in line with the general tendency. In the new cen-
tury it became livelier again and equalled the district level. From the 1880s
onwards the growth was driven as between 1818 and 1869 by the natural in-
crease. Both periods were also characterised by the emigration, which took
place after phases of augmented natural increase and in compliance with
crises, as a consequence of imbalances between the population number and
the economic resources. After the highest rates in the 1880s the emigration
steadily dropped even though natality reached its highest rate in the first
decade of the 20th century, determining one of the most relevant popula-
tion growths.
Returning to the development dynamic during the entire time span
considered, a relatively low natality rate can be observed still in the first few
decades of the 18th century in the urban and rural parts of the municipali-
ty. Pietro Montanelli in his seminal work of 1905 estimated it at an average
of about 33 per mil, which is confirmed by the most recent studies (Mon-
tanelli 1905, 29; Breschi, Kalc, and Navarra 2001, 93). In the karstic villag-
es it amounted, according to our estimates, to about 36 per mil. In the first
decades of the free port era it started to increase reaching 38 per mil by the
middle of the century, 43 per mil at the time of the conscription of 1777–78
and more than 50 per mil in 1800.
In the Bazovica chaplaincy natality was considerably lower than the
average. It amounted to less than 30 per mil in 1778 and rose to 44 per mil
by the end of the century. This discrepancy derives in part from the popu-
lation of Lipica, which mostly included single servants and labourers, and
the presence of a permanent squadron of border guards in the village of
Bazovica. The contribution of Lipica to the natural increase started only
in the 1880s, still remaining very scarce. As the data of Table 9.3 shows, the
natality in the Bazovica chaplaincy in 19th century oscillated around 40 per
mil. Only in the new century it more evidently entered a phase of transi-
tion. Mortality also maintained high rates in line with the pre-modern de-
mographic regime. On average it was higher than 30 per mil and in some
periods reached 40 per mil. During the 19th century it peaked above natali-
ty many times, the most considerably in 1807, 1817, 1835, 1855, 1866, 1870 and
1894. This was in coincidence with several epidemics, but did not affect the
218
the 1870s. This was probably connected with the fact that in 1872 Bazovica
became the administrative site of the eastern kartsic district before it was
moved to Opčine in 1885. This seems to be also proven by the immigration
that contributed 40% to the rise in population. In the 1880s and 1890s the
growth steadily declined in line with the general tendency. In the new cen-
tury it became livelier again and equalled the district level. From the 1880s
onwards the growth was driven as between 1818 and 1869 by the natural in-
crease. Both periods were also characterised by the emigration, which took
place after phases of augmented natural increase and in compliance with
crises, as a consequence of imbalances between the population number and
the economic resources. After the highest rates in the 1880s the emigration
steadily dropped even though natality reached its highest rate in the first
decade of the 20th century, determining one of the most relevant popula-
tion growths.
Returning to the development dynamic during the entire time span
considered, a relatively low natality rate can be observed still in the first few
decades of the 18th century in the urban and rural parts of the municipali-
ty. Pietro Montanelli in his seminal work of 1905 estimated it at an average
of about 33 per mil, which is confirmed by the most recent studies (Mon-
tanelli 1905, 29; Breschi, Kalc, and Navarra 2001, 93). In the karstic villag-
es it amounted, according to our estimates, to about 36 per mil. In the first
decades of the free port era it started to increase reaching 38 per mil by the
middle of the century, 43 per mil at the time of the conscription of 1777–78
and more than 50 per mil in 1800.
In the Bazovica chaplaincy natality was considerably lower than the
average. It amounted to less than 30 per mil in 1778 and rose to 44 per mil
by the end of the century. This discrepancy derives in part from the popu-
lation of Lipica, which mostly included single servants and labourers, and
the presence of a permanent squadron of border guards in the village of
Bazovica. The contribution of Lipica to the natural increase started only
in the 1880s, still remaining very scarce. As the data of Table 9.3 shows, the
natality in the Bazovica chaplaincy in 19th century oscillated around 40 per
mil. Only in the new century it more evidently entered a phase of transi-
tion. Mortality also maintained high rates in line with the pre-modern de-
mographic regime. On average it was higher than 30 per mil and in some
periods reached 40 per mil. During the 19th century it peaked above natali-
ty many times, the most considerably in 1807, 1817, 1835, 1855, 1866, 1870 and
1894. This was in coincidence with several epidemics, but did not affect the
218
