Bench-Marks of the Economy of Moldavia Reflected in the Work of Dimitrie Cantemir

In the second part of the 17-th century and the beginning of the 18-th century, the chance of the Romanian countries was directly and decisively influenced by the Ottoman Empire and Poland; they represented a goal for the feud and dispute among Turkey, Austria and Russia. To Dimitrie Cantemir, the historic Moldavia was not only a spiritual presence in the people’s consciousness along centuries, but also a physical one. Moldavia was looked upon as a place full of trade and citadels, with a fertile land, with fish filling the rivers and lakes, with minerals in the underground and mountains of salt. Dimitrie Cantemir reveals the squires’ and the feudal style abuses. The origin of the squires’ land properties and the bondage relationships between the peasants and the squires are also depicted.