,*APT] #b 
,M$IAEVAL ,SOCIETY 

,PEOPLE 3 

,AU?OR 3 ,WILLIAM ,MORRIS 

,TEXT 3 

      ,WE HAVE N[ TO DEAL ) ?AT ,M$IAEVAL ,SOCIETY 
      :I* WAS BAS$ ON ! FUSION ( IDEAS ( TRIBAL COMMUNISM & ,ROMAN 9DIVIDUALISM 
      & BUREAUCRACY4 ,! FULLE/1 & ONE MAY SAY ! MO/ P$ANTIC TYPE ( ?IS 
      SOCIETY IS TO BE F\ND 9 ! ,M$IAEVAL ,G]MAN ,EMPIRE2 IT WAS MODIFI$ 
      SOME:AT 9 O!R C\NTRIES2 9 ,FRANCE BY ! FACT ?AT SEV]AL ( ! O!R 
      POT5TATES1 AS1 EG41 ! ,DUKE ( ,BURGUNDY1 W]E !ORETICALLY 9DEP5D5T ( ! 
      ,K+1 & PRACTICALLY W]E (T5 AT LEA/ AS P[]FUL4 ,9 ,5GL&1 ON ! CONTR>Y1 
      ! MON>*Y SOON GA9$ COMPLETE PR$OM9ANCE OV] ! GREAT B>ONS1 & A K9D ( 
      BUREAUCRACY SOON SPRANG UP :I* 9T]F]$ ) ! FULL WORK+ ( ! FEUDAL 
      SY/EM4 
     
     

      ,! !ORY ( ?IS FEUDAL SY/EM IS ! EXI/5CE ( AN UNBROK5 *A9 ( S]VICE 
      FROM ! S]F UP TO ! EMP]OR1 & ( PROTECTION FROM ! EMP]OR D[N TO ! 
      S]F2 IT RECOGNIZES NO ABSOLUTE [N]%IP ( L&2 ,GOD IS ! ONE [N] ( ! 
      E>?1 ! EMP]OR & HIS K+S >E HIS VICE-G]5TS !RE1 :O MAY DEVOLVE !IR 
      AU?ORITY TO !IR FEUDAL VASSALS1 & !Y 9 TURN TO !IRS1 & SO ON TILL IT 
      REA*ES ! S]F1 ! PROLET>IAN1 ON :OM ALL ?IS HI]>*Y LIVES1 & :O HAS NO 
      RI<TS AS REG>D HIS [N LORD EXCEPT PROTECTION FROM O!RS \TSIDE ! MANOR ?AT 
      HE LIVES & WORKS ON2 TO HIM HIS P]SONAL LORD WAS ! 9C>NATION ( ! 
      COMPULSION & PROTECTION ( ,GOD1 :I* ALL M5 ACKN[L$G$ & LOOK$ =4 
     
     

      ,IT IS QUITE CLE> ?AT ?IS SY/EM WAS MIX$ UP ) RELIGI\S IDEAS ( SOME SORT2 
      ACCORD+LY1 WE F9D ?AT ! ,MIDDLE ,AGES HAD A DI/9CT RELIGION ( !IR [N1 
      DEVELOP$ FROM ?AT E>LY ,*RI/IANITY :I* WAS ONE ( ! =CES ?AT BROKE UP 
      ! ,ROMAN ,EMPIRE4 ,AS LONG AS ?AT ,EMPIRE LA/$ 9 ITS 9TEGRITY1 ,*RI/IANITY WAS 
      PURELY 9DIVIDUALI/IC2 IT BADE EV]Y MAN DO HIS BE/ = HIS FUTURE 9 ANO!R 
      WORLD1 & HAD NO COMM&S TO GIVE AB\T ! GOV]NM5T ( ?IS WORLD EXCEPT TO 
      OBEY '! P[]S ?AT BE' 9 NON-RELIGI\S MATT]S1 9 ORD] TO ESCAPE TR\BLES & 
      COMPLICATIONS :I* MI<T DI/RACT HIS ATT5TION FROM ! K+DOM ( ,GOD4 
     
     

      ,BUT 9 ,M$IAEVAL ,*RI/IANITY1 AL?\< ?IS IDEA ( 9DIVIDUAL DEVOTION TO 
      ! P]FECTION ( ! NEXT WORLD /ILL EXI/$1 IT WAS KEPT 9 ! BACKGR\ND1 & 
      WAS ALMO/ DORMANT 9 ! PRES5CE ( ! IDEA ( ! ,*UR*1 :I* WAS NOT M]ELY 
      A L9K BETWE5 ! E>?LY & ! HEAV5LY K+DOMS1 BUT EV5 MAY BE SAID TO HAVE 
      BR\<T ! K+DOM ( HEAV5 TO E>? BY BREA?+ ITS SPIRIT 9TO ! TEMPORAL 
      P[]1 :I* IT RECOGNIZ$ AS ANO!R MANIFES-TATION ( ITS [N AU?ORITY4 
      ,!RE=E1 ! /RUGGLES ( ! ,TEMPORAL & ,SPIRITUAL ,P[]S1 :I* =M SO L>GE 
      A P>T ( ! HI/ORY ( ! ,MIDDLE ,AGES1 W]E NOT ! RESULT ( ANTAGONISM ( 
      IDEAS BETWE5 ! TWO1 BUT CAME ( ! T5D5CY ( ONE SIDE ( ! GREAT 
      ORGANIZATION ( ,SOCIETY TO ABSORB ! O!R )\T REJECT+ ITS !ORY2 9 %ORT1 
      ON ! ONE H& ! ,*UR* WAS POLITICAL & SOCIAL RA!R ?AN RELIGI\S1 :ILE ON 
      ! O!R ! ,/ATE WAS AT LEA/ AS MU* RELIGI\S AS IT WAS POLITICAL & SOCIAL4 
     
     

      ,SU*1 !N1 WAS ! !ORY ( ,M$IAEVAL ,SOCIETY2 BUT AP>T FROM :ATEV] ( 
      OPPRESSION ON LIFE & ?\<T WAS 9H]5T 9 IT1 ! PRACTICE ( ! !ORY WAS 
      LIABLE TO MANY ABUSES1 TO :I* ! OBVI\S CONFUSION & MIS]Y ( ! TIMES >E 
      MO/LY REF]ABLE4 ,!SE ABUSES AGA9 W]E MET BY A PROTE/ 9 ! =M ( ALMO/ 
      CON/ANT REBELLION AGA9/ ,SOCIETY1 ( :I* ONE MAY TAKE AS EXAMPLES ! ORGANIZ$ 
      VAGABONDAGE ( ,MIDDLE ,EUROPE1 ! ,JACQU]IE 9 ,FRANCE1 & 9 ,5GL& :AT MAY BE 
      CALL$ ! *RONIC REBELLION ( ! ,=E/]S1 :I* PRODUC$ SU* AN IMPRESSION ON 
      ! M9DS ( ! PEOPLE1 ?AT IT HAS GIV5 BIR? TO ! BALLAD EPIC KN[N BY ! 
      NAME ( ITS MY?ICAL H]O1 ,ROB9 ,HOOD4 ,RESI/ANCE TO AU?ORITY & CONTEMPT ( ! 
      ',RI<TS ( ,PROP]TY' >E ! LEAD+ IDEAS 9 ?IS R\< BUT NOBLE POETRY4 
     
     

      ,BESIDES !SE IRREGUL> PROTE/S AGA9/ ! OPPRESSION ( ! EPO*1 !RE WAS 
      ANO!R FACTOR AT WORK 9 ITS MODIFI-CATION -- ! ,GILDS1 :I* =C$ !MSELVES 
      9TO ! SY/EM1 & W]E ACCEPT$ AS A REGUL> P>T ( IT4 
     
     

      ,! IDEAS :I* W5T ) ! SURVIVALS ( ! PRIMITIVE COMMUNISM ( ! TRIBES 
      W]E1 ON ! ONE H&1 ABSORB$ 9TO ! FEUDAL SY/EM & =M$ P>T ( IT1 BUT 
      ON ! O!R1 !Y DEVELOP$ ASSOCIATIONS = MUTUAL PROTECTION & HELP1 :I* AT 
      FIR/ W]E M]ELY A K9D ( B5EFIT SOCIETIES ACCORD+ TO ! IDEAS ( ! TIMES4 
      ,!SE W]E FOLL[$ BY ASSOCIATIONS = ! PROTECTION ( TRADE1 :I* W]E CALL$ 
      ! GILDS-M]*ANT4 ,FROM !SE ! DEVELOPM5T WAS TWO-FOLD3 !Y W]E P>TLY 
      TRANS=M$ 9TO ! CORPORATIONS ( ! FREE T[NS1 :I* HAD ALREADY BEGAN 7SIC7 
      TO BE F\ND$ FROM O!R DEVELOPM5TS1 & P>TLY 9TO ! CRAFT-GILDS1 OR 
      ORGANIZATIONS = ! PROTECTION & REGULATION ( H&ICRAFTS -- :I* LATT] W]E 
      ! RESULT ( A RADICAL RE=M ( ! GILDS-M]*ANT1 ACCOMPLI%$ NOT )\T A 
      SEV]E /RUGGLE1 (T5 ACCOMPANI$ BY ACTUAL & V]Y BITT] W>4 ,! LA/ REMA9S 
      ( !SE CRAFT-GILDS >E TRACEABLE 9 ! NAMES ( ! CITY COMPANIES ( ,LONDON4 
     
     

      ,IT %\LD BE NOT$ ?AT ?IS T5D5CY TO ASSOCIATION WAS BITT]LY OPPOS$ 9 ITS 
      E>LI] DAYS BY ! POT5TATES ( BO? ,*UR* & ,/ATE1 ESPECIALLY 9 ?OSE 
      C\NTRIES :I* HAD BE5 MORE UND] ! 9FLU5CE ( ! ,ROMAN EMPIRE4 ,BUT 9 ! 
      LONG-RUN IT C\LD NOT BE RESI/$1 & AT LA/ BO? ! GILDS & ! FREE T[NS 
      :I* !IR EMANCIPAT$ LABOR HAD CREAT$ OR DEVELOP$ W]E FAVOR$ 7AS WELL AS 
      FLEEC$7 BY ! BUREAUCRATIC K+S AS A MAKE-WEI<T TO ! P[]FUL NOBLES & ! 
      ,*UR*4 
     
     

      ,! CONDITION ( ONE P>T ( M$IAEVAL LIFE 9DU/RIAL WAS ?US QUITE ALT]$4 
      ,9 ! E>LI] ,MIDDLE ,AGES ! S]F NOT ONLY DID ALL ! FIELD-WORK1 BUT ALSO MO/ 
      ( ! H&ICRAFTS1 :I* N[ FELL 5TIRELY 9TO ! H&S ( ! GILDS4 ,IT MU/ BE 
      NOT$ ALSO ?AT 9 !IR BE/ DAYS !RE W]E NO M]E J\RNEYM5 9 !SE CRAFTS2 A 
      WORK%OP WAS MANN$ SIMPLY BY ! WORKMAN & HIS APPR5TICES1 :O W\LD1 :5 
      !IR TIME WAS \T1 BECOME MEMB]S ( ! GILD LIKE HIMSELF3 MA/]%IP1 9 \R 
      S5SE ( ! WORD1 WAS UNKN[N4 
     
     

      ,BY AB\T ! YE> #ace ! CRAFT-GILDS W]E FULLY DEVELOP$ & TRIUMPHANT2 & 
      ?AT DATE MAY CONV5I5TLY BE ACCEPT$ AS ! 5D ( ! FIR/ P>T ( ! ,MIDDLE 
      ,AGES4 ,BY ?IS TIME S]FDOM G5]ALLY WAS BEG9N+ TO YIELD TO ! *ANGE 
      9TRODUC$ BY ! GILDS & FREE T[NS3 ! FIELD S]FS P>TLY DRIFT$ 9TO ! 
      T[NS & BECAME AFFILIAT$ TO ! GILDS1 & P>TLY BECAME FREE M51 ?\< LIV+ 
      ON L&S :OSE T5URE WAS UNFREE -- COPYHOLD]S1 WE %\LD CALL !M4 ,?IS MOVEM5T 
      T[>DS ! BREAKUP ( S]FDOM IS M>K$ BY ! PEASANT'S W> 9 ,5GL& L$ BY 
      ,WAT ,TYL] & ,JOHN ,BALL 9 ,K5T1 & ,JOHN ,LIT/] 7DY]7 9 ,EA/ ,ANGLIA1 :I* WAS 
      ! ANSW] ( ! COMB9$ YEOM51 EMANCIPAT$ & UNEMANCIPAT$ S]FS1 TO ! 
      ATTEMPT ( ! NOBLES TO *ECK ! MOVEM5T4 
     
     

      ,BUT ! DEVELOPM5T ( ! CRAFT-GILDS & ! FLOCK+ 9 ( ! FRE$ S]FS 9TO 
      ! T[NS LAID ! F\NDATIONS = ANO!R *ANGE 9 9DU/RIALISM3 ) ! SECOND 
      P>T ( ! M$IAEVAL P]IOD APPE>S ! J\RNEYMAN1 OR SO-CALL$ FREE 
      LABOR]4 ,BESIDES ! CRAFTSMA/] & HIS APPR5TICES1 ! WORK%OP N[ HAS !SE 
      'FREE LABOR]S' 9 IT -- UNPRIVILEG$ WORKM51 ?AT IS1 :O W]E NEV]!LESS 
      UND] ! DOM9ATION ( ! GILD1 & COMPELL$ TO AFFILIATION ) IT4 ,! 
      GILDSM5 N[ BEGAN TO BE PRIVILEG$ WORKM52 & ) !M BEGAN ! F\NDATION ( 
      ! PRES5T MIDDLE-CLASS1 :OSE DEVELOPM5T FROM ?IS S\RCE W5T ON TO MEET ITS 
      O!R DEVELOPM5T ON ! SIDE ( TRADE :I* WAS N[ BECOM+ NOTICEABLE4 ,9 #adec 
      ,CON/ANT9OPLE WAS TAK5 BY ! ,TURKS2 ! >T ( PR9T+ WAS SPREAD+2 ,GREEK 
      MANUSCRIPTS W]E BE+ DISCOV]$ & READ2 A ?IR/ = NEW OR REVIV$ LE>N+1 
      \TSIDE ! SUP]/ITIONS ( ! M$IAEVAL ,*UR* & ! QUA9T1 CURI\SLY 
      P]V]T$ & HALF-UND]/OOD REMA9S ( POPUL> TRADITIONS1 WAS >IS+1 & ALL 
      WAS GETT+ READY = ! TRANS=MATION ( M$IAEVAL 9TO MOD]N OR 
      COMM]CIAL SOCIETY4 
     
     

      ,COMMONWEAL1 ,VOLUME #b1 ,NUMB] #a#i1 #bb ,MAY #a#h#h#f1 ,P4#f#a 
     

,FROM 3 ,M>XI/S4ORG4 

,*RONOLOGY 3 
,FEBRU>Y #b#h1 #bba 3 ,*APT] #b -- ,ADD$4 

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