Continuity and Discontinuity in the Administrative Elite of the Szekler Seats between 1840-1876

Abstract

"This study analyzes to what extent the frequent regime changes from the middle of the 19th century had an effect on the continuity, respectively the discontinuity of the officer corps of the Szekler seats, from the period before the Revolution of 1848 until the abolition of the Szekler seats following the administrative-territorial reform of 1876. While before 1848 we have strong continuity, the main feature of the two decades after the Revolution of 1848 was discontinuity. Beginning with the Revolution, the next two decades were marked by frequent changes and total rupture from the previous regime. The most radical break occurred in the age of neo-absolutism, when a lot of new and literally foreign people flowed into the Szeklerland administration. The next big elite change in the administration took place after the Austro-Hungarian Compromise. After the Compromise the situation stabilized again; and we find representatives of much of the same families who held the majority of offices during the pre-1848 period. This shows a high degree of stability of the county elite. Keywords: administrative elite, elite change, Szekler seats, 19th century, Transylvania, continuity, discontinuity. "