Original scientific paper
On the Stability of Ragusan Republic (14th-17th Century): Geopolitical and Economic Factors
Lovro Kunčević
orcid.org/0000-0002-9654-6969
; Zavod za povijesne znanosti HAZU u Dubrovniku, Dubrovnik, Hrvatska
Abstract
The text analyses the reasons for the exceptional social peace and political stability of the Ragusan Republic in the period between the fourteenth and the seventeenth century. The first part provides an overview of the all known instances of rebellions, conspiracies and political protests, stressing their relative scarcity and weak intensity. The second part is dedicated to the analysis of geopolitical factors which hindered the emergence, escalation and organization of discontent. Chief among such factors were the absence of good foreign partners for malcontents, a strong social cohesion due to the constant sense of foreign threat, and the politics of neutrality which enabled Dubrovnik to avoid many destabilizing situations. The third part is dedicated to the economic factors of stability. They encompassed very diverse issues such as the relatively high standard of living, the social impact of maritime and mercantile economy, and the specific fiscal politics of the Ragusan Republic.
Keywords
Ragusan Republic; stability; Middle Ages; Early Modern period; political history
Hrčak ID:
164590
URI
Publication date:
30.6.2016.
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