Horváth J. András: A megigényelt világváros. Budapest hatósága és lakossága a városegyesítés éveiben - Disszertációk Budapest Főváros Levéltárából 2. (Budapest, 2010)
Summary
Sanitary requirements, to reach the global trend, were regarded in a broad sense. The needed physical infrastructure was considered from the perspective of the claimed general hygienic conditions. Although the public, in cases of cholera epidemics for example, resolved sanitary needs by unprofessional methods. This could come either from the praxis of everyday life or required the general city administration. However, city management expected sanitary improvements first of all through better physical conditions, both budget possibilities or organizational frames being narrow, direct results were modest. The new mayor, Károly Kamermayer’s role was very important regarding the realization of ideas on the new role of the city. He contributed immensely in such projects as slaughterhouse, concentration of pig-trade, market-halls, etc. Animaltrade and meat-supply were those of the time under effective sanitary-oriented authority control. The most acute contradiction was, that meanwhile strong needs for provisions could be felt in cases of foundlings and illegitimates, the city even disclosed them from orphanages. Provision could be provided only in general district administration. In spite of widespread pauperizetion the budget for poor-relief contained but meagre amounts. Relating to the process of transforming the city to Einwohnerstadt, these years recorded modem poverty and mass deprivation. The budget was consequntly higher. The open relief was provided by districts. Although the city management amhitioned to rely greatly on social activity, government denied to integrate it into the structure of the city organization. Both old and new local regulations focused basically on households; although different attitudes were perceived in the council and the assembly. The ideas of the council concerning communal housing were less prestigeous and more adapted to real urban characteristics. Although the city was very careful to raise competition aginst private venture, working-house program failed because of government opposition. My main goal was to outline the most characteristic features concerning budgeting, personal representation of the city politics and variables of urban ethos. My aims were to validate a distance from the overall „development oriented” through a character rather than a quantitative narrative approach; to call attention on the fact that the phenomena of Budapest ciy politics were fitting to broad 469
