N - Economic HistoryReturn

The article deals with the question of the present position of economic history as a theoretical framework of scientific specialization and university study branch in the Czech Republic. It focuses on the Central European tradition and analyzes reasons for the connection between economic and social history. It concentrates on the question whether economic history can exist as an autonomous discipline, on which theoretical basis economic history could be built, and from where to derive methodological inspiration. The authors claim that currently the social historians do not consider the connection with economic history as pivotal. They regard the position of economic history as inferior and according to them the dominant role of social history prevents them from dynamic methodological development. They believe that possible alternatives of the future development of economic and social history lie in three potential solutions: a) continuation of the current "defensive" concept of economic and social history; b) separation of economic and social history and their autonomous shaping; c) concept of "offensive" integrating socio-scientific approach.

In 1896 there were 2858 several models of job centres in Austria. The most of them (885) were situated in Bohemia. New important job centre model has rested in special hostels. From 1886 till 1895 these hostels were established in seven Austrian Lands (in Bohemia for the first time in 1895). These hostels have provided two meals and overnight for job founders and also free job vacancies register. The Parliament of the Kingdom of Bohemia passed on 29th March 1903 the Act No. 57 concerning Public Labour Exchange in this land. It was the first attempt to address the public labour exchange to a systematic way in Austria and in Europe too. The number of those who found job using the public labour exchange services tripled during the decade from 1904 till 1913 (from 51 937 to 153 782 people). The efficiency of the public labour exchange was about 70 %.