“The Future Belongs to Engineers”? The “Production” of Engineers in Romania, 1881 – 1939

Abstract

The study aims to trace the numerical evolution of the engineering profession until 1939 focusing on the social and economic dimension. In this sense, my approach relies on the theory of professionalisation, the basic premise being that the profession is a constructed social identity and a social mobility elevator created by the state. According to this theory, the development of a specific educational training system is an essential prerequisite in this process. The study also discusses the main traits of polytechnic education in Romania, with a special focus on the Polytechnic School in Bucharest. Finally, the study analyzes the situation of the engineers’ body in Romania during 1938, using data extracted from the Asociația Generală a Inginerilor fron România [The General Association of Engineers in Romania] (AGIR) yearbook, with the aim of highlighting the contribution of polytechnic schools in Romania to the numerical development of the engineering profession. The preliminary conclusion of this study is that engineers prepared the ground for the development of a new approach to economics, society, and politics that contributed to the increasing role played by the state in the late 1930s.