Year: 2024
Type: article
Abstract: The article is devoted to the analysis of the legal status of the vogt in the villages of Galicia as a part of the Austrian and later – the Austro-Hungarian Empire. It is proved that the vogt, as a local administrator, played a key role in the management of the village community, performing both administrative and judicial functions. The peculiarities of the legal regulation of the status of the vogt, its relations with other bodies of local self-government and state power, as well as the impact on the socio-economic development of rural communities of Galicia are characterized. It is found that the introduction of new administrative structures and reforms, such as: the patent of 1784, its impact on the powers of the vogts and their position in the system of local government. The transformation of the role of the vogt after the introduction of the Regional Statute and changes in management related to the abolition of serfdom and the strengthening of the bureaucratic system is described. The conflicts and challenges faced by the vogt in the process of fulfilling their duties, including interaction with representatives of the state authorities and the local community, are considered. Legal sources and archival materials highlighting the specifics of the legal norms that regulated the activity of the vogt in this period are studied. In general, the legal status of the vogt in the villages of Galicia was complex and variable, reflecting wider political, social and economic transformations in the empire. At the same time, vogts remained important figures who ensured the functioning of local self-government and maintenance of order in the rural communities of Galicia within the Austrian and Austro-Hungarian legal systems. Thus, the legal status of the vogt was important for the effective management of the village community. Vogt, as the chief official of local self-government, was responsible for compliance with legislation, management of public property and funds, as well as for ensuring law and order and well-being of the community. Vogt could not single-handedly dispose of public property and funds, which emphasized the importance of collective management and control by the public council and juries. In case of violations on the part of the vogt, the community had the right to appeal to the community elder or higher authorities with the demand of his removal from office. This provided an additional level of control and accountability. It was also important to elect authoritative, honest and fair persons who were respected by the community, to the post of vogt. In general, the legal status of the vogt as the head of the community required strict compliance with legislative norms, transparency in financial affairs and responsibility to the community, which was the basis for effective and fair local self-government. Keywords: rural self-government, local community, legal regulation of status, specificity of legal norms, bureaucratic system.
Author: Bogdan Vyshnevsky
Language: English
Subfield: Sociology and Political Science
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: bronze
OpenAlex ID: W4405995458
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