The Influence of Lynn White, jr.'sMedieval Technology and Social Change
Shana Worthen
Lynn White, jr. published Medieval Technology and Social Change in 1962. A reflection of his lifelong interest the Middle Ages, combined with realization benefits studying a civilization through its material culture, White's work helped to create field history medieval technology. Controversial, inspiring, accessible, influence this book continues affect wide variety scholars. contentious ‘stirrup thesis’ suggested that stirrup's introduction Europe from Asia Carolingian period enabled development feudalism, which concept was itself highly problematic. His on plow, horse harness, three-field crop rotation, degree they affected Europe's post-Roman population shift, is still debated. Mechanical power may not have led industrial revolution as White claimed, but wind, water, chemical developments, along crank, substantially altered agricultural production. Change, for all flaws, readable history, part because multi-disciplinary use archeology, etymology, economic art iconography frame central sociocultural technological arguments, it used widely by historians technology, agriculture, military alike. This article surveys historiography book, especially discussions recent histories.
History Compass