Jómódúak és nincstelenek? Az ügyvédség vagyoni differenciálódása a dualizmus kori Budapesten
Wealthy or Pauper? Financial Differentiation among Lawyers in Budapest in the Age of Dualism

Summary/Abstract: In nineteenth-century Hungary, it was a widely held belief among the wider public but even in the circles of the legal profession (for example, among judges) that lawyers make good money, are wealthier than the average, and generally live in prosperity. However, in the Age of Dualism (1867–1918), lawyers can be seen discussing the polar opposite in professional publications and other media, arguing that the profession was becoming impoverished. Even though the discourse of financial difficulties permeated the thinking of lawyers both in Budapest and in the country, hitherto no social history study has examined primary sources to analyze the income, revenues and financial situation of Hungarian lawyers. Joining international scholarship, the present study aims to nuance the two polarities described above, and to shed light on the diversity and complexity of Budapest lawyers in this period. Drawing on various types of sources, the analysis of lawyer careers from beginning to end bears out the articulated nature of the profession at the time. In addition to an overview of the circumstances of wealthier and poorer lawyers, the study also draws attention to prevailing trends that affected the financial potential within the entire lawyer community.

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