The author bases his assessment of social and economic views held by Carniola Germans during the period discussed in the "Laibacher Tagblatt" and reports prepared by the "Verfassungsverein". He finds that the attitudes of upper class Carniola Germans were strongly liberal till the middle of the seventies. It was only the impact of the 1873 economic crisis that caused them to recognize the need for more active involvement in economic affairs and to address the problem of social differences. The question still remains whether such a policy would have received wider support within the German Party given the social background of its members, many of whom were producers opposed to free trade and competition.