Agrarian class structure and economic development in pre-industrial Europe
Encyclopedia
Agrarian Class Structure and Economic Development in Pre-Industrial Europe was a major historical debate in Past & Present
following from Robert Brenner
's article in issue 70. Postan and characterised the debate as attempting to determine whether Malthusian cyclic explanations of population and development, or social class
explanations governed demographic and economic change in Europe. The debate confounded existing beliefs regarding class relations in the Economy of England in the Middle Ages
and agricultural societies with serfdom in general, engaging 20th century historiography of the economics of feudalism in the West and the Soviet Union.
Past & Present
Past & Present is a British historical academic journal, which was a leading force in the development of social history. It was founded in 1952 by a combination of Marxist and non-Marxist historians. The Marxist historians included members of the Communist Party Historians Group, including E. P...
following from Robert Brenner
Robert Brenner
Robert P. Brenner is a professor of history and director of the Center for Social Theory and Comparative History at UCLA, editor of the socialist journal Against the Current, and editorial committee member of New Left Review...
's article in issue 70. Postan and characterised the debate as attempting to determine whether Malthusian cyclic explanations of population and development, or social class
Social class
Social classes are economic or cultural arrangements of groups in society. Class is an essential object of analysis for sociologists, political scientists, economists, anthropologists and social historians. In the social sciences, social class is often discussed in terms of 'social stratification'...
explanations governed demographic and economic change in Europe. The debate confounded existing beliefs regarding class relations in the Economy of England in the Middle Ages
Economy of England in the Middle Ages
The economy of England in the Middle Ages, from the Norman invasion in 1066, to the death of Henry VII in 1509, was fundamentally agricultural, though even before the invasion the market economy was important to producers...
and agricultural societies with serfdom in general, engaging 20th century historiography of the economics of feudalism in the West and the Soviet Union.