PODGORJE SOCIETIES: COMPONENT PARTS OF THE CULTURAL AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF THE PODVELEBIT REGION

Sa？etak The existence of associations is one of the most representative indicators of a certain degree of development of the inhabitants in a region. Associations (societies) have been through history, and particularly today, the most successful model by which a certain group of people can achieve overall civil development. A high degree of urbanity, civil and religious culture has also been achieved through the activity of civic associations in the Podvelebit region, from Senj in the north to Lukovo ？ugarje in the south. Besides the civil stratum in Senj and Karlobag, the inhabitants of the Podgorje villages and hamlets also had an important role in the enlightenment, overall wellbeing, as well as the retention of people in the homeland. In the paper are analysed the activities of various types of associations and cooperatives such as reading rooms, occupational, economic, humanitarian and similar associations which were established and operated during the 19th and the first half of the 20th century in Sveti Juraj, Jablanac and Karlobag. Karlobag, without doubt, had the central place in the development of the civil society and so in the paper an attempt will be made to represent the actual activity of the civic associations, beginning with one of the oldest reading rooms in Croatia to their last attempts of work before the Second World War. Therefore, this paper provides a historical cross-section of the social and cultural life of this demographically impoverished part of the Republic of Croatia