The Local origins of modern society : Gloucestershire, 1500-1800

Through a series of sharply focused studies spanning three centuries, David Rollison explores the rise of capitalist manufacturing in the English countryside and the revolution in consciousness that accompanied it. Combining the empiricism of English historiography with the rationalism of Annales, and drawing on ideas from a wide range of disciplines, he argues that the explosive implications of the rise of rural industry created new social formations and altered the communal, cultural and social contexts of peoples lives. Using localized case studies of families and individuals the book starts with significant detail and moves out to build up a subtle and innovative view of English cultural identities in the early modern period. Explanations Of The Rise Of Industrial Capitalism Often Emphasise Urban Centres As The Focus For Change. Combining The Empiricism Of English Historiography With The Rationalism Of Annales, David Rollison Argues That The Origins Of Change Lie In The Countryside, With The Flight Of Manufacturing Industry From Towns To Rural Districts. Through A Series Of Sharply Focused Studies Spanning Three Centuries, Rollison Explores The Rise Of Capitalist Manufacturing In The English Countryside And The Revolution In Consciousness Which Accompanied It. Adopting A Conjunctural Approach, He Focuses On Universal Subjects Such As Language, Speech And Writing, Culture, Sexuality, Gender, Class And Social Stratification, Community And The Individual, And Revolution And Evolution To Tease Our Complex Cultural Meanings. He Proceeds Via A Series Of Case Studies Of Families And Individuals. Starting With Significant Detail And Moving Out To Build Up A Subtle And Innovative View Of English Society In The Early Modern Period, He Argues That The Explosive Implications Of The Rise Of Rural Industry Created New Social Formations And Altered The Communal, Cultural And Social Contexts Of People's Lives. The Book Focuses On Problems Specific To English Historiography Such As Industrialisation, Commerce And Trade, Religion, Provincialism And Localism, Protest Movements And Class Conflict But Draws On A Wide Range Of Ideas: Literary, Anthropological, Sociological, Geographical And Philosophical. Using Local Histories To Explore The Myths And Legends Of A National Epic, The Book Provides An Illuminating Investigation Of English Cultural Identities.--jacket. Introduction: Country Capitalism -- Pt. I. Cradles Of Change -- 1. Cradles Of Change: The Manufacturing Districts -- 2. Trails Of Progress: The Reorientation And Intensification Of Traffic, 1600-1800 -- Pt. Ii. Neighbourhood To Nation -- 3. Proverbial Culture -- 4. Tyndale And All His Sect -- 5. Neighbourhood To Nation: The Trotmans: A Middle-rank Kin-coalition, 1512-1712 -- Pt. Iii. Two Revolutionaries -- 6. 'small Thinges And Grande Designes': A Revolutionary's History Of The English Revolution -- 7. Cunning Man And Quaker: John Roberts Of Siddington St. Mary -- Pt. Iv. The Multitudes Around Us -- 8. Community At The Borders: Mockery And Misrule In An Eighteenth-century Industrial Village -- 9. 'a Concatenation Of Vicious Habits': A Season Of Riots And A Public Discussion, 1738-41 -- 10. Lasting Prejudices: Languages Of Social Discrimination. David Rollison. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. BOOK COVER......Page 1 HALF-TITLE......Page 2 TITLE......Page 4 COPYRIGHT......Page 5 DEDICATION......Page 6 CONTENTS......Page 7 LIST OF TABLES......Page 9 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS......Page 10 INTRODUCTION......Page 14 Part I CRADLES OF CHANGE......Page 32 1......Page 34 2......Page 40 3......Page 44 4......Page 50 5......Page 52 6......Page 55 2 TRAILS OF PROGRESS......Page 58 Part II NEIGHBOURHOOD TO NATION......Page 78 3 PROVERBIAL CULTURE......Page 80 4 TYNDALE AND ALL HIS SECT......Page 96 5 NEIGHBOURHOOD TO NATION......Page 108 Part III TWO REVOLUTIONARIES......Page 132 1 A PURITAN REVOLUTIONARY......Page 134 2 ‘SMALL THINGES AND GRAND DESIGNES’: CORBET’S PRACTICAL HISTORIOGRAPHY......Page 139 3 ‘THE ONLY ACTIVE MEN’: CORBET’S SOCIAL ANALYSIS......Page 142 4 WEAVERS AND SHEPHERDS: THE ELECTIONS OF MARCH 1640 AS SOCIAL DRAMA......Page 147 5 THE ONLY ACTIVE MEN (CONTD): MANUFACTURES AND THE MULTITUDE......Page 159 6 ‘AN UNDESCERNED GUIDANCE OF SUPERIOUR MEN’: CORBET AND THE IGNOBLE MULTITUDE......Page 165 7 LEADERSHIP: NATIONALIST MISSIONARIES?......Page 168 1......Page 174 2......Page 176 3......Page 179 4......Page 181 5......Page 183 6......Page 186 7......Page 191 8......Page 196 The wizard and the lady......Page 198 The wizard and the poor neighbour......Page 201 The wizard as veterinary......Page 202 10......Page 203 Part IV THE MULTITUDES AROUND US......Page 206 1......Page 208 2......Page 212 3 THE CASE OF THE INDISCREET LANDLORD......Page 214 3 THE LORD MAYORS OF RANDWICK......Page 219 5 THE WEAVERS’ SONG......Page 222 9 ‘A CONCATENATION OF VICIOUS HABITS’......Page 228 1 LANGUAGES OF SOCIAL DISCRIMINATION......Page 256 2 JOHN AUBREY AND THE ABORIGINES......Page 259 3 NUMBERING AND CLASSIFYING: AUBREY AND THE POLITICAL ARITHMETICIANS......Page 260 4 ABORIGINES ECOLOGICALLY DETERMINED......Page 262 5 SLAVES IN NATURE THOUGH NOT IN LAW......Page 266 NOTES AND REFERENCES......Page 274 INDEX......Page 324