From what I can tell from reading the period fiction, it used to run much lower in XIX. century in countries like France of Austria-Hungary, where even the proverbial tobacconist licenses were often granted on the basis of political affiliation.
There’s a link to a Google Translation of the Czech Wikipedia page “Trafika” associated with the “proverbial tobacconist licenses”, but I was a little confused even after clicking the link, especially since the machine translation mistranslated “Trafika” as “newsagent”- in this case, based on my research it seems that “Trafika” originally referred to a store, particularly one that sold tobacco (although newsstands can also be called “Trafika”, hence the translation error); as Martin alludes to, the licenses to operate these Trafika were allocated on a political basis, so over time the word Trafika came to be understood as referring to any sinecure used to reward a political ally.
Correct. “Trafika” may have sold both tobacco and newspapers, but there was a state monopoly on tobacco, which then resulted in allocating those “offices” on political basis.
As for France, I remember there was a chapter in Stendhal’s “Lucien Leuwen” where the protagonist was sent, as an election emissary, to the province with a list of offices that he could grant to the political supporters. Later on I’ll have a look at what kind of offices those were.
Heh, Lucien Leuwen is fairly esoteric fare, specially for a non-Frenchman. I read the first part because I had some similarities with Lucien (same school, and enamored of a belle from Nancy), but found the second part too dispiriting to finish.
Here it is (my translation): “You’ll get money to distribute at the banks of Loire and three tobacconist shops as well. I even hope to get two postman offices. The finance minister haven’t answered yet in this matter, but I’ll let you know by telegraph. And moreover, you’ll be able to depose almost anyone. You are clever and you will use these rights discreetly.” (chapter XLIX)
There’s a link to a Google Translation of the Czech Wikipedia page “Trafika” associated with the “proverbial tobacconist licenses”, but I was a little confused even after clicking the link, especially since the machine translation mistranslated “Trafika” as “newsagent”- in this case, based on my research it seems that “Trafika” originally referred to a store, particularly one that sold tobacco (although newsstands can also be called “Trafika”, hence the translation error); as Martin alludes to, the licenses to operate these Trafika were allocated on a political basis, so over time the word Trafika came to be understood as referring to any sinecure used to reward a political ally.
Correct. “Trafika” may have sold both tobacco and newspapers, but there was a state monopoly on tobacco, which then resulted in allocating those “offices” on political basis.
As for France, I remember there was a chapter in Stendhal’s “Lucien Leuwen” where the protagonist was sent, as an election emissary, to the province with a list of offices that he could grant to the political supporters. Later on I’ll have a look at what kind of offices those were.
Heh, Lucien Leuwen is fairly esoteric fare, specially for a non-Frenchman. I read the first part because I had some similarities with Lucien (same school, and enamored of a belle from Nancy), but found the second part too dispiriting to finish.
Here it is (my translation): “You’ll get money to distribute at the banks of Loire and three tobacconist shops as well. I even hope to get two postman offices. The finance minister haven’t answered yet in this matter, but I’ll let you know by telegraph. And moreover, you’ll be able to depose almost anyone. You are clever and you will use these rights discreetly.” (chapter XLIX)