Pre-industrial societies : anatomy of the pre -modern world

Eminent historian Patricia Crone defines the common features of a wide range of pre-industrial societies, from locations as seemingly disparate as the Mongol Empire and pre-Columbian America, to cultures as diverse as the Ming Dynasty and seventeenth-century France. In a lucid exploration of the characteristics shared by these societies, the author examines such key elements as economic organization, politics, culture, and the role of religion. An essential introductory text for all students of history, Pre-Industrial Societies provides readers with all the necessary tools for gaining a substantial understanding of life in pre-modern times. In addition, as a perceptive insight into a lost world, italso acts as a starting point for anyone interested in the present possibilities and future challenges faced by our own global society. Frontmatter Preface (page ix) 1 Introduction: What is a Complex Society? (page 1) Part I The Pre-Industrial Pattern (page 13) 2 Socio-economic Organization (page 15) 3 The State (page 41) 4 Politics (page 68) 5 Culture (page 94) 6 Society and the Individual (page 115) 7 Religion (page 142) Part II The Departure from the Pattern (page 167) 8 The Oddity of Europe (page 169) 9 Modernity (page 204) Further Reading (page 230) Index (page 237)

Eminent historian Patricia Crone defines the common features of a wide range of pre-industrial societies, from locations as seemingly disparate as the Mongol Empire and pre-Columbian America, to cultures as diverse as the Ming Dynasty and 17th-century France. This lucid exploration of the characteristics shared by these societies is an essential introductory text for all students of history.

Patricia Crone. Originally Published: Oxford : Basil Blackwell, 1989; First Published By Oneworld Publications, 2003. Includes Bibliographical References (pages [230]-236) And Index. A lively introduction to how society functioned prior to the Industrial Revolution