Consulates as Factors of Economic Growth in the Bulgarian Revival

This article sheds light on the role of consular institutions as factors of economic growth in the Bulgarian lands before the Liberation from Ottoman rule. Based on a comparative study covering some of the most influential consular representatives in Bulgaria, the article outlines the challenges facing foreign consulates in decades marked by imperial decline, relentless reforms and economic turmoil. Particular emphasis is placed on the interrelationship between political, diplomatic, societal and economic imperatives – as institutions operating in different public spheres, consulates often had to find a balance between these disparate fields of action. In what way and to what extent did consulates prioritize economic activities and were their economic designs crowned with success? What were their economic goals and how did they contribute to achieving economic growth? Finally, what importance can be attached to consular services in the context of different Bulgarian urban economies – and are they representative of the wider Balkan context? The article conceives of consulates as important institutions in the international infrastructure of the Balkans, which fostered the integration of the region into European commercial networks and the modern international community in the late nineteenth century.