Das Wirtschaftsbürgertum und seine öffentliche und karitative Tätigkeit in Ungarn im 19. Jahrhundert. Ein historiographischer Überblick
The Involvement of Businessmen in Public Life and in Forms of Charity in Hungary in the 19th Century. A Historiographical Survey

Summary/Abstract: This article surveys the problem of the public involvement of the businessmen in the 19th century in the Hungarian historiography. Philanthropy, arts patronage, and charitable actions were an integral part of the „life strategy“ of the economic elite. Apart from the business performances, charitable activities played an ever-increasing role in the gaining of public respect. If earlier charity had been considered a religious–moral obligation, in the 19th century it was deemed a prerequisite in the pursuit of the common good. The acceptance of a role in the public life steadily turned into an obligation, and there was a conviction that wealthy and outstanding citizens had to contribute to the alleviation of social tensions.

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