Famine in the Middle Lika in the second half of the 18th and the first half of the 19th century – environmental and societal factors, facing capacity and adaptation strategies

Abstract

Historically, Lika has a reputation of an area marked by poverty and unpleasant meteorological conditions. Low temperatures and abundance of precipication (especially snow) on one hand, as well as prolonged periods of drought on the other has made agriculture difficult, especially in the subsistential economy of the 18th and 19th century. This, in correlation with poor soil quality and a wide spectre of demographic, economic and agricultural factors, often pushed the society of Middle Lika towards famine. State politics and specific organisation of Habsburg Military Frontier present in the area also served as a factor that stumped the development of the society As contemporary sources state, food scarcity and famine were a regular occurance in Lika. However, people from Lika were able to use some of their societies inner qualities to overcome the famines, as well as to adapt to prevent the occurence of the future famines. Putting greater focus on the livestock, integrating wider families under one household and implementing potato as a primary culture helped the survival of the hardy people of Lika.