Rewinding Civil Society: Conceptual Lessons from the Early Modern Guilds
Bert De Munck
Traditionally it is assumed that “modern” civil society originated in the associations, clubs, and public sphere of eighteenth century as a result “liberation” individual from “shackles” absolutism, religious intolerance, patriarchal family. However, recent research goes further back time. Scholars such Robert Putnam (sociologist), Antony Black (political scientist), Katherine Lynch (historian) associate origins with heyday confraternities guilds late Middle Ages. This has serious consequences for our understanding characteristics functions society. Given were permeated by devotion crafts inextricably bound to (often undemocratic) political establishment, fundamental questions arise about importance religion role associations participation individuals. article suggests several long-term trends can be observed when broaching perspective (or brotherhoods). In early modern guilds, fraternal ideals related mutual aid equality appear have gradually disappeared. Craft stopped being “brotherhoods” “substitute families” transformed into formal bureaucratic juridical institutions, while retreating separate household
Social Science History