Haugwitz’ father was a general in the service of Saxony. As a young man’ Haugwitz went to Rome and then entered the civil service in Silesia. This job came to an end when Frederick II invaded Silesia and Haugwitz escaped to Vienna. Maria Theresa sent him to the remaining part of Silesia under her rule to get the finances in order. Haugwitz, as a student of the Austrian cameralist, Wilhelm von Schröder, learned hostility towards the wealthy estates. Haugwitz was also an admirer of the reforms and new administration in the Prussian province of Silesia. He intended to change economic and administrative institutions through compartmentalization of government functions, education, centralization of the economy and provision of economic information to the monarchy.