Artisans in Europe, 1350-1914

About this book

"This book is a survey of the history of work in general and of European urban artisans in particular, from the late Middle Ages to the era of industrialization. Unlike traditional histories of work and craftsmen, this book offers a multifaceted understanding of artisan experience situated in the artisans' culture. It treats economic and institutional topics, but also devotes considerable attention to the changing ideologies of work, the role of government regulation in the world of work, the social history of craftspeople, the artisan in rebellion against the various authorities in his world, and the ceremonial and leisure life of artisans. Women, masters, journeymen, apprentices, and nonguild workers all received substantial treatment. The book concludes with a chapter on the nineteenth century, examining the transformation of artisan culture, exploring how and why the early modern craftsman became the industrial wage-worker, mechanic, or shopkeeper of the modern age."--Jacket.