Overview of the development of social legislation under the Austro-Hungarian monarchy in the years 1867-1918

Abstract

The author uses Official Journals from the years 1867-1918 and contemporary literature to show the main stages in the development of legislation concerning the care for the poor and the protection of workers. She presents the provisions of the homeland law with respect to care for the poor and the care duties whose implementation was imposed on the municipalities. The article features the statute from the 25th March 1883 that endorsed state financial support for people in need. The statute is compared to the Law from the 27th December 1902 that granted state aid for the mitigation of poverty. The article continues with an overview of labour protection legislation under the monarchy, after the development of industry and employment of a large number of new workers resulted in a completely new relationship between employers and workers. The development of this relationship is reflected in the provisions of the Craft Order and its amendment to the act. The article also presents in detail legislation from the field of worker protection. Accident insurance for industrial workers in the Austrian half of the monarchy was introduced with the law from the 28th December 1887, the first socialprotection law in Austria. A health insurance law followed one year later. In Prekmurje, which was in the Hungarian part of the monarchy, Hungarian legislation introduced the same regulations in 1891 (Hungary reformed compulsory health insurance in 1907).