polgárok

Polgárok is the Hungarian term for the urban burghers or middle-class citizens in the historical and modern context of Hungary. The polgárság consisted mainly of merchants, craftsmen, shopkeepers, and other professionals living in towns, forming a social group that stood between the noble estates (nemesek) and the peasantry (jobbágyok). The emergence of polgárok was tied to the growth of medieval towns and the granting of town privileges, often through charters and the membership in urban guilds.

In legal and political terms, polgárok enjoyed rights relating to property ownership, economic activity, and participation in municipal self-government. This could include a say in town councils, the election of mayors, and other local offices. Their obligations typically involved taxes and, in some periods, military service or other civic duties. While they enjoyed greater personal freedom than peasants, their political privileges were usually more limited than those of the nobility. Across centuries, some members of the polgárság could be ennobled by the king for service or prestige, creating a bridge between urban wealth and noble status.

Economically, the polgárság drove urban growth through trade, crafts, and services, contributing to the development of cities, markets, and urban culture. The guild system often shaped training, quality control, and regulatory frameworks within towns, fostering a distinct urban culture and economy.

In modern usage, polgárok also refers to the general citizenry or the bourgeoisie in liberal and national discourses of the 18th–19th centuries. Today, polgár means “citizen,” and polgárok means “citizens.”