Economic and social history is a relatively young discipline within the framework of Slovene historiography. The systematic and long-term study of this aspect of Slovenia's past began relatively late. The 1980s and 1990s were an important period since they brought an increase in the number of people working in this sphere. Because of the way in which the discipline has developed, we still do not have a complete overview of the economic and social history of the Slovenes and only the most general lines of development are known. In-depth research has not yet been carried out, except in individual problem sectors in shorter time periods. The role and importance of the 'Economic and Social History of the Slovenes' research programme is therefore defined by what is stated above. It is a systematic and long-term lifting of the veil of oblivion from a not-insubstantial part of Slovenia's past which will bring numerous new substantive and interpretational emphases to existing knowledge of Slovene history.