Търговското предприемачество в научното творчество на проф. Виржиния Паскалева: достижения и насоки за бъдещи изследователски дирения
Commercial entrepreneurship in the scientific work of Prof. Virginia Paskaleva: achievements and directions for further research

Summary/Abstract: The article sheds light on the socio-economic development of the Bulgarian lands during the 18th and 19th century on the basis of the publications written by the prominent Bulgarian historian Prof. Virjinia Paskaleva (1925–2012). In the second part of the article a possible research approach has been proposed, through which the achievements of Prof. Paskaleva can be elaborated further. The proposed approach is based on economic theory and economic sociology. Based on various primary sources, Prof. V. Paskaleva traced the economic ties of the Bulgarian lands with Austria/Austro- Hungary, England, France and Russia. She highlighted the role of the Bulgarian entrepreneurs who carried out commercial relations with the mentioned states. She managed to find and present valuable information regarding numerous entrepreneurs and their business activities. She shed light on the intermediation role of some powerful Bulgarian trade houses (“Pulievi-Georgievi”, “Tapchileshtovi”, etc.) in the Balkan and European trade relations. In several publications, V. Paskaleva focused on the role of the intensive foreign commercial relations for the lively craft production in a number of settlements across Ottoman Bulgaria during the Early National Revival period (second half of the 18th century) and later. Prof. Paskaleva put efforts to investigate and elaborate the problem of the “domestic”/“national” market, which continues to intrigue researchers. She paid attention to the qualities of certain economic actors, the role of immigrant entrepreneurs, the family nature of commercial activity, etc. All this represents a solid foundation for further research. It can be carried out with the help of economic theory (e.g. views on the functions of the entrepreneur) and the new economic sociology. Views on social, family and human capital, on the role of social/ entrepreneurial networks can help to systematize and present in a cogent way the uniform facts extracted from available primary sources (commercial correspondence, notebooks, contracts, etc.). It is necessary to research the available documents in Bulgarian archives and abroad. Such an investigation would help to understand a number of aspects of the Bulgarian economic development in the past.

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