The Romanian lawyer – the Romanian demagogue. A debate over the political leadership about the end of 19th century in Transylvania (original) (raw)

Studia Universitatis Petru Maior. Historia, 2010

Abstract

Traditionally, lawyers used to be active in militant politics because the nature of their profession assured them certain independence. This was particularly true in Transylvania at the end of 19th century when the governmental attempts to solve the problem of nationalities put a pressure on most employees in the public institutions. Their knowledge of juridical system made them a valuable asset for the national movement. However, about the political crisis of 1910, the public image of the Romanian lawyers was seriously injured in a debate over the character and usefulness of these people within the national movement. The following article analyses the context and the implications of these debate. Far from being a local political dispute, this change in attitude of public opinion is inscribed within a broader phenomenon which is a shift from an argumentative type of discourse toward a rather lyrical one, a discourse that organizes rather the feelings than the reasons of the audience. This shift of the political culture in the beginning of the twentieth century was possible because of the increasing role played by important journalists in public issues and their ability in addressing a wider audience. In the last instance, “the national poet” was opposed to the lawyer, as an epitome of the true leader. This article explores as well the way in which writers claim for leadership, under the circumstances of 1910 debate, and the role ascribed by them to their militant literature.

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