Szili Ferenc: A hatalom és az erőszak természetrajza a XVIII-XIX. századi somogyi panaszlevelek tükrében - Somogyi Almanach 54. (Kaposvár, 1997)

Resume - The nature of power and force in the view of letters of complaint from Somogy county in the 18th and 19th centuries

RESUME The nature of power and force in the view of letters of complaint from Somogy county in the 18th and 19th centuries In the past decades the publications of the Somogy County Archives have included a number of studies on the social movements, serf uprisings, peasant movements, organizing activities of the workers' movement letting us globally know the issue in question. With the traditional method, we cannot present the individual human lots and tribulations and their messages for today and no more can we pin down the consequences addressed to the individual. Therefore in the Somogy County Archives we are going to make public the messages of the 18th and 19th centuries including the letters of complaint. As a result of several years' research, we have collected 131 letters of complaint which throw light on the intricate and changing ways of how the defencelessness and humiliation of the man in the given age and sometimes his punishment without a crime worked. Today it is evident now that history is not only governed by class struggle but is also made up of the defencelessness and the humiliations of the individual. In many cases, the lot of the individual was not entirely determined by belonging to those in power or the oppressed classes. The force and humiliation pertinent to power could cause plenty of pain and tribulation among both powert could cause plenty of pain and tribulation among both the rich and the poor. The living standard of the noble woman thrown upon her husband's mercy must have been higher than a serf woman's, however, she had a worse life in respect of the quality of living. The agressive people, regardless of their class, would indulge in making themselves felt and as a practice, abuse their physical or intellectual power. It often occurred in both noble and serf families that the father permanently assaulted his child, or the child having left his parents would not look after them in their old days. Also the brother, with some help, could deprive the brother of his property hurling hin along with his family into misery. The letters of complaint kept in the archives are records of messages that affect not only our emotions and sense of justice but also our rational actions. Even the researcher is amazed by the kaleidoscope of the individual offenses and is forced to do certain groupings. We can see the human conduct of village judges, teachers and notaries and the degree of their defencelessness. The fear of conscription affected both the individual and the family. The letters in which the wife bringing up their children on her own is begging for the release of her husband „abducted" by the state are shocking. Unable to work anymore and without anyone to look after them, old folks implore their children be released from the army. The letters also help us pin down the abuses of power of the estate owners