Class Conflict and the Crisis of Feudalism : Essays in Medieval Social History

Some of the liveliest and most fruitful debates in recent historical writing have been about the transition from feudalism to capitalism. Rodney Hilton’s vast and distinguished body of work on medieval society has been a major reference point in these debates. Throughout his work the dominant theme has been his argument that the “prime mover” in the development of medieval society was the conflict between landlords and peasants over the appropriation of the peasants’ surplus product. This is the class conflict which gives the present volume its title. The conflict between landlords and peasants over the appropriation of the surplus product of the peasant holding was a prime mover in the evolution of medieval society. In this collection of essays Rodney Hilton looks at the economic context within which these conflicts took place. He seeks to explain the considerable variations in the size, composition and management of landed estates and investigates the nature of medieval urbanisation, a consequence of the development of both local commodity production and long distance trade in luxury goods. By setting the broader economic context – the nature of the peasant and landlord economies and the commercialisation of peasant production – Hilton's essays enable a thorough understanding of the relationship between landlords and peasants in medieval society.

book Condition: New. Dispatched From Usa. No Expedited Shipping! Allow 10-14 Business Days For Delivery. Before Ordering Please Check The Language In The Product Description. Brand New Item. Over 6 Million Customers Served. Order Now. Selling Online Since 1995. Few Left In Stock - Order Soon. Code: C20100319131525n0907628362. Sku: 0907628362-11-cntn.