Transylvania as a dependent province of the empire. Sociological aspects of the Mitteleuropean paradigm (I)
Transylvania as a dependent province of the empire. Sociological aspects of the Mitteleuropean paradigm (I)

Summary/Abstract: Mitteleuropa is one of those ideas that, from a historical point of view, produced more harm than good in Transylvania. Even if in the dualistic period the region represented a very important stake for Hungary in particular, but also for Austria, this did not offer any compensation to the majority of inhabitants. Although representing the statistical majority, the Romanians became a tolerated population that found itself in situations in which the very idea of human dignity was being mocked. Here, a paradox lies: even though this was the historical reality, an unnatural tendency to promote false advantages of Transylvania as part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire can be easily identified. The article’s objective is to explain and demonstrate that the Mitteleuropa paradigm influence and temptation expanded and managed to conquer the Transylvanian elites, with economic, political and demographic consequences. This situation can be understood with the help of the modern world system theory (I. Wallerstein), as an exploitation of the periphery by the semi-periphery (AustroHungarian Empire). However, the Hungarians had a constant initiative to take advantage of this relationship of subordination and tried to change the ethnic rapport in the region due to the fact that the Hungarians were a minority in Transylvania, all “in the name of the Emperor”. This context allowed Hungary to manifest itself geopolitically in the Carpathian area through exploitation.

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