Societatea bucovineană sub impactul politicii iosefiniste (sfârșitul secolului al XVIII-lea – începutul secolului al XIX-lea)

The annexation in 1775 of the north-western part of the Principality of Moldavia by the Habsburg Monarchy, under the name of Bukovina, marked a turning point for the entire society in this region. In order to organize the new territory, the Habsburg authorities, influenced by Josephinist political ideas prevailing at the Court of Vienna at that time, implemented a series of modernizing measures in the socio-economic domain. The actions taken affected to a greater or lesser extent all social strata existing in Bukovina. The changes at the societal level represented a break from the old, medieval structures inherited from the Moldavian state, facilitating a smoother integration into the general system existing in the Habsburg Monarchy.