The reconstruction of South-Eastern Europe

THE RECONSTRUCTION OF

The code of the Emperor Duan proclaimed at Skoplje in 13849-53—one of the finest written monuments of Medizval Europe—is a_ proof that already in the first half of the fourteenth century Serbia was socially and politically a well organised State; and what was more important, the seed was good, the blossom was fine and promised the best harvest.

Their social development could be fairly compared with the most civilised countries in Europe. In that respect Pouqueville, who was at Ragusa in 1805, described the social conditions of the people as follows—

““'The peasants were serfs and attached to the land and sold with it. But their master could not kill them, and if he ill-treated them they could go to another.

““The peasants did not complain of their lot, and the men being much better than the laws, the State was flourishing. ... The peasants were splendid fellows, but absolutely obedient to their masters. It was the ancient respect for a caste, which being unmilitary was peaceful and debonair. There was no secret police, no gendarmes. In 1805 the first capital sentence in twenty-five years was pronounced; the city went into mourning and an executioner had to be sent from Turkey.”

An English author, Thomas Watkins, in 1789 spoke of Ragusa: ‘‘They have more learning and less ostentation than any people I know,

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