Agria 43. (Az Egri Múzeum Évkönyve - Annales Musei Agriensis, 2007)

S. Lackovits Emőke: Csopak és Kövesd közbirtokossága

its elected functionaries. While the minutes for the period 1899-1944 survive for the Kövesd noble joint tenantry, we only have fragmentary data for the peasant joint tenantry in Csopak. The members of the joint tenantry's income was calculated according to the amount of property they had, which had to include possession of a house in the village, registered in their name. The joint tenantries' most important property and source of income was its woodland, followed by the fishing and reed-harvesting incomes that came with water rights. Incomes also came from the rights they enjoyed, such as leasing properties (waters, pastures, toll-free roads, grasslands, woodland), lending out sires and issuing fines. Members were expected to undertake additional working duties, which if avoided would lead to a fine. The work itself could however be done on the member's behalf by hired labourers or be replaced by a money payment. The joint tenantry's incomes covered costs, the payment of field and woodland wardens, cowherds, swineherds and the like, while tenantry contributions went to towards helping members in need. Income was also spent on machinery which would then be hired out, a transaction that meant most of the investment could be paid off in time. Joint tenantries offered a grounding in self-reliance, independent financing, the taking on of responsibilities, the ability to see possibilities: weighing up the alternatives and making decisions all came with being an elected functionary. Determination and discipline were necessary in defending and indeed promoting the interests of the commonly owned property, and the community as a whole. It required not only respect for the laws, but the requirement that laws be respected. The rights and freedoms that came with being part of an autonomous organisation were therefore accompanied by duties and responsibilites. This independence suffered such enormous damage after 1956, that making up for all the shortfalls will still require some considerable time. 41