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History Paper V Episode 28 5.2.28 Transition Debate II OBJECTIVE The students will Learn about Paul Sweezy’s commercialization theory on transition from feudalism to capitalism Know the urbanization of Europe due to commercialization Understand the causes behind population swings in Europe and their effects SUMMARY The rise of capitalism, one of the formative influences on modern Europe, is the subject of an enormous and contentious scholarship. Maurice Dobb, the Marxist historian had argued that ‘internal contradictions’ in the land based feudal economy, had led to the rise of Capitalism. This argument was refuted by Paul Sweezy in his “Commercialization Model”. The essence of Paul Sweezy’s Commercialization Model in explaining the rise of capitalism is the push-pull theory. While the burden of increasing taxes pushed the serfs out of the manors, the cities lured them into their fold and provided various alternative livelihoods. This explained the growth of capitalism in Western Europe and continuation of feudalism in eastern Europe. Historian M.M. Foster countered Sweezy with his demographic growth model that could explain why feudalism broke down in the 13th and 14th centuries, followed by the rise of capitalism in the 16th and 17th centuries. Demographic growth was a prime motor for agrarian progress. Agrarian progress, in its turn, was an essential pre requisite for commercial revolution. So long as the peasants were barely able to insure their own subsistence and that of their lords, all other activities had to be minimal. When the food surplus increased, it became possible to release more people for Government, religious and cultural pursuits. It takes more than food surplus, however, to reorient a society from agrarian balance to commercial restlessness. Towns re emerged from their protracted depression. GLOSSARY Black death – An outbreak of bubonic plague in Europe between 1348 and 1350; one of the most devastating pandemics in human history that resulted in a massive loss of human lives; estimated to be a third of European population. Commercial Revolution – The great increase in commercial activities in Europe in the late medieval ages following voyages of exploration to Africa, Asia and the New World; characterized by a surge of overseas trade, the appearance of the chartered company, acceptance of the principles of mercantilism, the creation of money economy and increased economic specialization. Maurice Herbert Dobb (1900 -1976) - A British Marxist economist; primarily involved in the interpretation of neo-classical economic theory from a Marxist point of view. Flanders – The political community of the Flemings; a geographical region located in parts of presentday Belgium, France, and the Netherlands. Over the course of history, the geographical territory that was called "Flanders" has varied. Karl Heinrich Marx (1818-1883) – A German philosopher, political economist, sociologist and revolutionary socialist; most notable of his works were The Communist Manifesto (1848) and Capital (1867–1894). Many of his books were cowritten with his friend, the fellow German revolutionary socialist Friedrich Engels. Mercantilism – An economic theory that advocates the increase of a nation’s wealth by government regulation of all the nation’s commercial interests; based on national policies of accumulating bullion, establishing colonies and developing industries for national interests. Sir Michael Moissey Postan (1898-1981)- A British economic historian of medieval Europe; held positions at the London School of Economics and the University of Cambridge. Paul Marlor Sweezy (1910 – 2004) – A Marxist economist, political activist, publisher, and founding editor of the Monthly Review; best remembered for his contributions to economic theory as one of the leading Marxist economists of the second half of the 20th Century. Serfs – Hereditary labourers, who did not have the right to leave the land of the feudal lord they worked on. Charters of freedom – Permission from a king or bishop that authorized the towns to form their own city councils and to regulate city life, levy their own taxes administer justice and even issuing their own coins; imparted a legal status to the cities. FAQ 1. Why do you think the kings were willing to grant charters to the cities? Most of the kings realized the economic value of having towns in their territories. Founding new towns was also a means to weaken the power of the feudal nobles and to win over the support of the townspeople. 2. What was the role of the guilds in the economic life of the towns? In each town the merchants and artisans organized themselves into guilds which were useful for business as well as political purposes. The merchant guilds ensured a monopoly of trade within a given locality, checked weights and measures, fixed prices and made sure that customers were not cheated. Guilds of artisans regulated the quantity and quality of goods to be produced, set prices and ensured that their products did not suffer from bad workmanship and inferior materials. 3. How did the crusades give a further fillip to the commerce between Western Europe and the Mediterranean states? On the one hand the establishment of Crusader states contributed to the growing presence of Western Europeans in the Levant which in turn fuelled greater commercial activity; on the other hand the Crusades contributed to the growth of Christian consciousness, communication in promoting internal Such growing Europe. connectivity was inevitably accompanied by a surge in commercial activities. 4. How did the Italian merchants play a key role in the commercialization of Europe in the 12th Century? The Italian merchants who had dominated the Mediterranean commerce from the 11th century began to penetrate Western and Eastern Europe with merchandise from Africa and Asia. They met the merchants from France, Flanders and the Rhineland in the annual fairs. By the end of the 12th century, there developed both high-value and low-value-buthigh-volume trade connecting the commercial worlds of the Mediterranean with that of the North Sea. 5. What were the main items of trade/ Spices, fine textiles and other luxuries from Asia began to be made available by Italian merchants to merchants from other parts of Europe, in exchange for commodities like grain from Eastern Europe, dairy and meat products from the German lands, fish, hemp and timber from the north, wine from France, etc. 6. How did commercialization lead to urbanization? By the middle of the 12th century inter-European trade unleashed a wave of urbanisation. As merchants moved from one place to another, they generally pitched defensible camps near settlements, requiring supply of food, fodder and water from the nearby settlements against a payment. As individual merchants began to be replaced by regular caravans, inhabitants of villages often began to provide such services on a more frequent basis. Over decades such settlements tended to develop a more durable character, and began to form the kernel of small towns, providing services to travelling merchants. Inhabitants of such incipient towns and merchants would often seek protection from the king of the land, who would then give the towns charters of freedom against a pledge of allegiance and a promise of an annual tribute. In this manner, 12th century European commercial expansion was accompanied by the revival of many old towns and the rise of many new ones. 7.How did the urban settlements provide a pull factor for the serfs to escape the manorial domains? Given the temptation of an alternative life in the confines of the towns which enjoyed royal charters of freedom, the serfs found the opportunity to escape from feudal oppression. The retainers of feudal seigneurs were not allowed to venture into the towns to hunt down fugitive serfs. Once the serfs made it into the towns, it was possible for them to pick up a trade and earn a livelihood; it was also possible to join a caravan and leave the area altogether, thereby eluding capture for a year more definitely. 8. What was M.M. Postan’s explanation of the transition from feudalism to capitalism? Postan believed that the principal explanation for most long-term historical changes can be found in long-term demographic variations. Postan deployed his demographic thesis to show that the principal problem of feudalism did not lie embedded in its structure, but in the structure and size of the feudal society which was determined by the demographic situation in Europe. Accordingly, the dismantling of the structure took place only when the demographic balance changed. 9. What happened when population increased in the 12th and 13th Centuries? Postan argued changed in that the demographic 12-13th the centuries, situation when the population of Europe grew at a remarkable rate. The growing population resulted in a corresponding increase in the demand for food, even though agricultural unchanged. productivity remained virtually As the pressure on cultivable lands grew, productivity of the lands began to diminish, which in turn pushed food prices upwards. In this situation the feudal lords also began to increase the extraction of the social surplus. By the imposition of duties and imposts such as fines, taillage, additional unpaid labour services on the demesne lands of the seigneur. Thus, with the growth in population and the consequent rise in food prices during that period, the serfs became more dependent upon the seigneur. 10. What was the major drawback of Postan’s theory? Postan did not try to address the major problem regarding the reason why similar demographic changes in Western and Eastern Europe resulted in different outcomes in the 15th-16th centuries. It was left to Robert Brenner to address the issue from a Marxist perspective. QUIZ-Complete 1. The historian who first contradicted Maurice Dobb was a) M.M.Postan b) Paul Sweezy c) Robert Brenner 2. According to Paul Sweezy, the major factor that led to transition from feudalism to capitalism was: a) Commercialization b) Urbanization c) Both the above 3. Serfs fled to the nearby towns to escape from a) Religious persecution b) Oppression of seigneurs c) Money lenders 4. The Crusades helped in the a) Commercialisation of Europe b) Plundering of Europe c) Escape of serfs 5. Proliferation of urban settlements in Western Europe was triggered by a) Caravans of merchants b) Charters of freedom c) Monarchs regaining power 6. Commercialization transformed the feudal economy to one of a) Production of artisanal products b) Production for the market c) Barter system 7. M.M. Postan’s theory of transition from feudalism to capitalism was based on a) Class struggle b) Burgeoning commerce c) Demographic swings 8. Mediterranean commerce was dominated by a) Arab merchants b) Italian merchants c) Asian merchants 9. According to Sweezy the principal factor in the decline of feudalism was a) Demographic growth b) The plague c) Urbanisation 10. Apart from the Black Death another factor that caused population to plummet was a) Malnutrition b) The Crusades c) Seigneural power ASSIGNMENT 1. Discuss in details the “Commercialization thesis” of Paul Sweezy to explain the transition from feudalism to capitalism. 2. What objections did Sweezy raise to Maurice Dobb’s theory of internal contradictions? 3. Give an assessment of demographic changes in Europe and discuss Postan’s Demographic Revolution Model. 4. What were the factors that facilitated the decline of feudal economy? 5. Trace the background of the rise of new towns and cities in western Europe. Why did the same factors fail to do the same in the case of eastern Europe?