| In 1724 the Estates General dimished several taxes levied in the Meierij of ?s-Hertogenbosch, that was part of Staats-Brabant, the northern part of the duchy of Brabant that was transferred to the Republic by the Treaty of Münster in 1648. It was obvious in 1724 that a serious economic depression had plunged the area into a deep crisis. The measures taken in that year, however, were ?provisional?; they were valid for a certain period and could be continued, abolished or adapted. The central government of the Republic in The Hague only decided, however, after tax officers working in the Meierij had submitted their opinions and considerations to the Raad van State (Council of State). These written reports got a more permanent structure in 1736: regional tax officers were ordered to submit reports periodically about the social and economic conditions in the Meierij. The reports had to contain an advice which measures had to be taken with regard to taxation. The reports are a valuable source for historical research as they are full of interesting information and tell us a lot of how the ?direct rule? from The Hague really worked. The civil servants did their best to maintain an equilibrium between the interests of the Meierij and the financial position of the central government. They tried to prevent overtaxation as that would have desastrous consequences to the population as well as the central treasury. Staats-Brabant was governed in a more humane way in the eighteenth century. The Hague delegated part of its power without, however, loosing its grip. The financial autonomy of the lower strata of government was restricted considerably. This forms a contrast with the other parts of the Republic where this autonomy was reduced not earlier than 1805/1806. |
