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The fiscal and administrative
registers which number about 4065, form together with the historical series the
oldest fonds ever gathered and organised by the « Centre des correspondences de
l’Etat » (State Correspondence Centre) since 1874.
The present classification system to which these registers obey is both thematic
and numerical except some registers with a or b numbers.
The major part of these registers relate to the period 1672 (register n° 1) /
1881 and reflect the various activities of the different state structures
nowadays.
Some registers, however, deal with the beginning of the colonial period
(1881-1912).
In spite of their various constraints, especially bad calligraphy, concise and
incomplete data, language mistakes and registers noted in Hebraic script or
Ottoman language, fiscal and administrative registers, nonetheless, preserve a
certain value.
They are a rich source of official information relating to the different aspects
of the social, political and economic life in Tunisia. Although it is none of a
suitable context here to present all types of registers and the way they could
be used, it is worthy noting that these fiscal and administrative registers are
important.
Their roles, and through the study of taxes payment which varied from period to
period and from region to another prior to the reform undertaken by Bey Ahmed
Pacha (1837-1855), are extremely informative on the prevailing mode of relations
established between society and the political power at the time.
It is noteworthy to point to the issue of registers specific to the “Ouchour”
tithe, informative on the cereal production, as well as the publication of
registers relating to the “Iana” tax, a sort of capitation due on males reaching
the age of puberty established in 1856 and whose application continued up to the
beginning of the Colonial Era. We can also refer to another type of registers
known as the “Quanoun” registers, a type of payable tax on olive and date palm
trees.
As for the administrative aspect, it is relevant in this context to mention the
registers relating to the different ministries reorganized in 1860, especially
the “maaroudh” ones. They comprise a number of summaries of certain cases
presented for examination and decision taking by different ministries, the Grand
Vizir (Grand Vizier) and the Bey. The number of these registers had multiplied
since the application of the constitutional and administrative reforms launched
in 1857. Hence, the number of registers produced from 1859 to the end of the
XIXth century is about 2816.
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