The master’s thesis is trying to evaluate the economic development of the settlements along the Vipava river in the municipality of Miren - Kostanjevica by analyzing the development of crafts and industry from the 19th century to the present day. Prior to the second half of the 19th century, the economy of the study area was mainly based on agriculture, but the share of the population seeking additional income in non-agricultural activities, especially in brick and shoe production, gradually started to increase. The vibrant economic development was interrupted by the First World War, as the majority of the population was temporarily displaced in refugee due to the occurring battles in close proximity. During the interwar period the study area was affected by the new boarder, the economic crisis and the pressure of fascist policy, which led to economic stagnation. After the reunification of Primorska and Yugoslavia in 1947, the economy started to strengthen. In the spirit of industrialization, many new state-owned companies, which relied on craft tradition and abundance of workforce, emerged. Building materials industry, furniture industry, leather and footwear industry were the predominant industries of the study area. When Slovenia gained its independence, the economy of the study area was quite impoverished, as most companies and businesses collapsed in the 1970s, while the rest met their end shortly after the independence, due to their inability to adapt to the new economic system. Today’s economy is based on micro and small enterprises with the prevalence of independent entrepreneurs and service activities.
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