The Year 1789 in the Newspapers of Graz and Ljubljana

Abstract

A comparison of articles in the Grazer Zeitung and Laibacher Zeitung of Kleinmayer and of Merk on events of French revolution shows that the Grazer Zeitung was incomparably preciser and more systematic in its reports, at the same time taking a more explicit and definite point of view referring to events in France. Although it condemned riots and violence of the people, much like both newspapers of Ljubljana, it imputed the blame for the crisis, among others, to aristocracy and high clergy, whereas it looked for reasons of people's unsatisfaction in the feudal system and society division into states. Its ideal was constitutional/parliamentary monarchy with a more balanced division of competences between the king and »national representation«, while both newspapers of Ljubljana were reserved and only shyly »flirted« with the thought of abolishment of absolutism and establishment of a monarchy where the king would share the power vvith a representation of states.