FOLIO I · THINKER · GEN. 02 · N° 008

Viktor Mataja

Works
8
Articles
0
Generation
2.
Portrait of Viktor MatajaPortrait of Viktor Mataja: Viktor Mataja, Wienbibliothek im Rathaus (1915)
FOL. 02 · N° 008 · Viktor Mataja
BIOGRAPHY

Life and Work

After commercial training and a study of law in Vienna, Mataja received his habilitation, alongside his work at the Vienna Chamber of Commerce, with a study on ground rent and entrepreneurial profit. Out of his wide-ranging body of publications, the pioneering work Recht des Schadenersatzes vom Standpunkt der Nationalökonomie (1889) (The Law of Damages from the Standpoint of Economics) stands out in particular, which, on the basis of marginal utility theory, prepared the ground for modern law and economics. In his more mature years he was among the first in the German-speaking world to take up the question of the 'Ankündigungswesen' (the business of public announcement), and with Reklame (Advertising) he produced the founding document of the modern science of advertising. Towards the end of his life he edited a Lehrbuch der Volkswirtschaftspolitik (1931) (Textbook of Economic Policy), to which he also contributed pieces of his own. Mataja was through and through a man of the bureaucracy. First he became head of section, then twice Minister of Trade (1909 and 1911) and finally President of the Central Statistical Commission (1914–1917 and 1919–1922). Towards the end of the war he served in turn as Minister of Trade, as minister without portfolio and as Minister for 'Social Welfare', the first in any European industrial country. His statistical work made this versatile and original thinker a valued partner for representatives of employers and employees alike; the 'third camp', the German-national bloc, approved of his German-Austrian centralism. Thus, of all people, a representative of the Austrian School created the nucleus of what later became the social partnership. Mataja's career enriches us with the remarkable insight that 'warfare' and 'welfare' can readily spring from one and the same doctrine of state.
Metadata
Born
20. Juli 1857
in Wien
Died
19. Juni 1934
Generation
Generation 2
Life stations

Stations

  1. 1857
    1857
    Birth · Wien
    Birth

    Born on 20 July 1857 in Vienna.[1]

  2. ⁦1878–1882⁩
    ⁦1878–1882⁩
    Studies · Wien
    Studies in Law

    Studies in law at the University of Vienna (1878 to 1882) after commercial training.[1]

  3. 1883
    1883
    Doctorate · Wien
    Doctorate in Law (Dr. iur.)

    Doctorate in law (Dr. iur.) at the University of Vienna in 1883.[1]

  4. 1884
    1884
    Habilitation · Wien
    Habilitation

    Habilitation with a work on ground rent and entrepreneurial profit, alongside his work at the Vienna Chamber of Commerce.[1]

  5. 1884
    1884
    Publication · Wien
    “Der Unternehmergewinn” (Entrepreneurial Profit)

    Publication of “Der Unternehmergewinn” (Entrepreneurial Profit) (1884) – a Habilitation thesis on marginal utility theory.[2]

  6. 1889
    1889
    Publication · Wien
    “Recht des Schadenersatzes vom Standpunkt der Nationalökonomie” (The Law of Damages from the Standpoint of Economics)

    Publication of the ground-breaking work which, on the basis of marginal utility theory, prepared the ground for modern law and economics.[1]

  7. 1890
    1890
    Academic post · Wien
    Associate Professor

    Appointment as associate professor in 1890.[1]

  8. 1892
    1892
    Academic post · Innsbruck
    Full Professor in Innsbruck

    Appointed full professor at the University of Innsbruck on 19 September 1892.[1]

  9. 1892
    1892
    Career · Wien
    Ministerialrat extra statum (supernumerary ministerial counsellor)

    Supernumerary ministerial counsellor (Ministerialrat extra statum) from 6 November 1892.[1]

  10. ⁦1897–1934⁩
    ⁦1897–1934⁩
    Academic post · Wien
    Honorary Professor at the University of Vienna

    Honorary professor at the University of Vienna from 1897.[1]

  11. ⁦1909–1911⁩
    ⁦1909–1911⁩
    Career · Wien
    Minister of Commerce (first term)

    First term as Minister of Commerce.[1]

  12. 1910
    1910
    Publication · Wien
    “Die Reklame” (Advertising)

    Publication of “Die Reklame” (Advertising) (1910), a pioneering work in the science of advertising (2nd ed. 1916, 4th ed. 1926).[1]

  13. 1911
    1911
    Career · Wien
    Minister of Commerce (second term)

    Second term as Minister of Commerce.

  14. ⁦1914–1917⁩
    ⁦1914–1917⁩
    Career · Wien
    President of the Central Statistical Commission (1st period)

    President of the Central Statistical Commission from 1914 to 1917.[1]

  15. ⁦1917–1918⁩
    ⁦1917–1918⁩
    Career · Wien
    First Minister of Social Welfare

    From 22 December 1917 to 27 October 1918, first Minister of Social Welfare in the Seidler and Hussarek governments – the first such minister in a European industrialised country. Towards the end of the war, Mataja had previously served as Minister of Commerce, then as minister without portfolio.[1]

  16. ⁦1919–1922⁩
    ⁦1919–1922⁩
    Career · Wien
    President of the Central Statistical Commission (2nd period)

    President of the Central Statistical Commission from 1919 to 1922.[1]

  17. 1926
    1926
    Publication · Wien
    “Entwicklung der Reklame” (The Development of Advertising)

    Publication of “Entwicklung der Reklame” (The Development of Advertising) (1926), at the same time the 4th edition of “Die Reklame”.[3]

  18. 1931
    1931
    Publication · Wien
    “Lehrbuch der Volkswirtschaftspolitik” (Textbook of Economic Policy)

    Editor of “Lehrbuch der Volkswirtschaftspolitik” (Textbook of Economic Policy), to which Mataja also contributed pieces of his own.[1]

  19. 1934
    1934
    Death · Wien
    Death

    Died on 19 June 1934 in Vienna.[1]

Relationships

Influences

Private seminar, colleagues, Mont Pèlerin · 1
  1. ⁦1892–1897⁩
    ⁦1892–1897⁩
    Colleague

    In 1892 became Eugen von Böhm-Bawerk's successor as full professor at the University of Innsbruck; institutional continuity of the chair in the spirit of the Austrian School.[1]

Viktor Mataja in the context of the School as a whole: five generations, their teacher-student lineages, circles and collegial ties.

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SOURCES ON STATIONS AND RELATIONSHIPS19 citations · 2 sources
Österreichisches Biographisches Lexikon· 1
Buch (Sekundärliteratur)· 2
  • [2]Mataja (1884): Der Unternehmergewinn
  • [3]Mataja (1926): Entwicklung der Reklame
Topography

Places of Activity

CATALOGUE OF WORKS · CHRONOLOGICAL

The Books

1880s
1884
27 yrs.
Der Unternehmergewinn. Ein Beitrag zur Lehre von der Güterverteilung in der Volkswirtschaft
Book
OriginalGerman
1888
31 yrs.
Das Recht des Schadenersatzes vom Standpunkte der Nationalökonomie
Book
OriginalGerman
1890s
1891
34 yrs.
Grossmagazine und Kleinhandel
Book
OriginalGerman
1900s
1904
47 yrs.
Arbeiterverhältnisse im Ostrau Karwiner Steinkohlenreviere auf Grund von
Book
OriginalGerman
1910s
1910
53 yrs.
Die Reklame. Eine Untersuchung über Ankündigungswesen und Werbetätigkeit im Geschäftsleben
Book
OriginalGerman
1920s
1926
69 yrs.
Entwicklung der Reklame vom Altertum bis zur Gegenwart. Erfolgreiche Mittel der Geschäfts-Personen und Ideenreklame aus allen Zeiten und Ländern [mit Erwin Paneth]
Book
OriginalGerman
1927
70 yrs.
Visitenkarte mit Widmung und eigenhändiger Unterschrift
Book
OriginalGerman
1930s
1931
74 yrs.
Lehrbuch der Volkswirtschaftspolitik
Book
OriginalGerman
Cite this page

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APA
Viktor Mataja. (n.d.). Edited by mises.at and scholarium. Accessed July 22, 2026, from https://mises.at/en/denker/viktor-mataja
Chicago
“Viktor Mataja.” n.d. Edited by mises.at and scholarium. Accessed July 22, 2026. https://mises.at/en/denker/viktor-mataja.
German historical style
Viktor Mataja, edited by mises.at and scholarium, https://mises.at/en/denker/viktor-mataja (accessed July 22, 2026).