Władca wizjoner. Reformy agrarne Józefa II

Abstract

This article describes agrarian reforms of Josef II, the most outstanding reformer in the Habsburg monarchy in the 18th century. He wanted to create a single, strong organism of state. He wanted Habsburg monarchy to be modern similarly to centralized Hohenzollern monarchy of Friedrich II. It was a very difficult task. Josef II had to strengthen central government for the purpose of weakening aristocratic particularism supporting domination of feudalism. At the same time he had to introduce many administrative and social reforms, to weaken role of Catholic church, to increase budget income with stronger fiscalism and to introduce monetary reform with increasing circulation of money. Reform of social structure, agrarian reform with a change of position of farmers that should change production relations in agriculture were all squandered with the untimely death of Joseph II. The nobles and Catholic church were dissatisfied with these reforms and forced new Habsburg monarchs to revoke agrarian reforms of Josef II.