LS202 Lecture Notes - Lecture 7: Petite Bourgeoisie, Manorialism, Common Land
13 May 2015
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Document Summary
Socio-economic shift (1300s-1800s: from feudalism (manorial system) to capitalism (free-market system) King nobility (lords, bishops, barons, dukes, counts) servicemen (knights, lesser clergy), labourers (vassals, villeins, serfs)/peasants (rent; no obligation to lord) slaves. Shift to capitalism causes the breakdown of feudal hierarchy. One key reason for the breakdown: enclosure closing off common use land that many depended on. Occurs very slowly (during 1400s to 1800s) Occurred as it was considered an improvement". Nobility wanted to enhance land"s productivity for profit: new farming techniques (more sheep!, new ideas about property (real estate!) Elimination of old customs that interfered with land"s productivity (hourly wages!) Feudal hierarchy breaks down: merchants bourgeoisie petite bourgeoisie (shopkeepers) proletariat. Limited access create division: propertied: competition for profits o. Labourers: competition for access (the presence of reserved workers who can do the job if someone else quits) Labour mobility: marx suspects that the freedom from labour mobility is actually now a dependence on market forces and market demands.
