Editing Møn (section)

===Restored fortunes===
[[File:Louis_gurlitt_møns_klint.jpg|right|thumb|The Cliffs of the Island of Møn, 1842, by [[Louis Gurlitt]].]]
In 1703, an attempt was made to found a navigation school in Stege. This failed, but generally the Danish economy was beginning to recover from the long period of wars. In 1769, Crown property on Møn was sold which allowed farmers to buy their own land and wealthy individuals to create estates and begin to settle on the island. In 1774, a major fire destroyed 112 properties in the northern part of Stege, but by 1782 there were four distilleries in the town, and by 1807, 18.

In 1733, [[Christian VI of Denmark|Christian VI]] introduced a law compelling peasants to remain on the estate where they were born until the age of 36. This was to provide a fixed work force, but also aid military conscription. The law was abolished in 1788 by the then regent, later to become [[Frederick VI of Denmark|Frederick VI]].

By 1789, the population of Stege had climbed to 791 with 7,000 people on the island. In 1797, [[Antoine de Bosc de la Calmette|Antoine de Calmette]] was placed in charge of the county, and was, for once, a respected leader.

In 1857, the town trade monopoly was finally abolished.

At the start of the 20th century about 14,000 people lived on the island. This figure then fell, but stabilised in the 1970s.