Abstract
The economic power, political influence and social prestige were concentrated mainly on the part of the German population in the Czech lands in the middle of the 19th century. The Czechs had the ambition to cope with the privileged Germans in the Habsburg monarchy both in the cultural and political spheres and in the economic field.
The Shareholder Brewery in Smichov was one of the first companies founded on national Czech capital and demonstrated its belonging to the Czech nation in their strategy. The story of Smichov's brewery thus offers not only the history of successful brands, but also an insight into the economic activities of Czech society in the process of national emancipation and the mentality of the newly formed Czech business elite.
The book follows up the progression of Smichov's brewery from its modest beginnings to its position as the leader of Czechoslovak brewing and puts its business strategy in the wider social context.