The end of banditismi in Dalmatia

Abstract

In Ihe 19th century the Dalmatian bandi tism is a primitive form of resistance in the peasant society of the Dalmatian hinterland, Makarska littoral, the region of Neretva and Hie mountainous parts of Dubrovnik and Kotor. Under the French and Austrian rules civic and military authorities instinct peasants how to till the soil, how to save, instruct them in the new culture and loyalty to the government. They were partly succesful in this respect in towns, i. e. on the sea-coast and on the islands, less so in •aountianous settlements with the residing peasants. In its last develoo- rnental stage the banditism appears as a consequence of the conflict between ihe traditional society and the new stream of development. The motives for joining the highwaymen were various, The author finds them in poverty, lack of enlightement, backwardness, blood revenge, conscription, refusal to pay taxes and in the neglect of the ruling oligarchy, which could not find causes for that phenomenon, being too class conscious, and the highwaymen were considered outlaws, criminals, thieves, robbers, felons who set fire, stole and murdered peaceful inhabitants, representatives of Ihe authorities and the other citizens. In the first decades of the Second Austrian Rule Dalmatia had more criminal acts than the other countries of the Austrian Monarchy. The highest degree of highwaymen resistance was recorded in the fifties, with ihe process of modernizing administration, legal institutions, gendarmerie, conscription, land-taxes and restoring caravan trading. Since the environs lor hiding and attacks, were favourable it was difficult to seize them. Therefore, civic and military authorities arose the people against them and make quicker their extermination. A series of other elements played a part in Ihe process: building new roads, opening new bureaus, post-offices, schools, associations. The penetration of culture and civilization influenced young men to accept their obligation to join the army. Taxes were paid more regularly, the conflict.', were considered to be solved not by revenge buit in courts. Consequently, towards the end of the century highwaymen’s faith faded along with the support of their harbourers. especially in the years before the World War 1