The Fourth and the Fourteenth Centuries
Joseph R. Strayer
EVERY CIVILIZATION of which we know anything has met at least one, and usually more than major crisis in its history. After centuries relatively calm continuous development, cracks appear the value system social structure; that are too wide to be spanned by bridge tradition deep filled rubble rejected utopias patchwork reforms. In such a there only two possible outcomes-drastic reorganization or even drastic disorganization. Our own civilization seems midst crisis. A historian may find some comfort, perhaps enlightenment considering earlier crises history civilizations.' this essay I want discuss periods crisis-the fourth fourteenth Western Europe. need hardly say my very flexible chronological units; much happened before 300 A.D. contributed century, after 1400 was continuation century. Nor do mean imply Europe is relevant for our purposes. We could certainly learn as from have periodically shaken Chinese civilization. But little about something European Moreover, selected seem me display most problems occur any One final explanation: when Europe, nearly what meant phrase it used today. discussing fourth-century am excluding eastern part Roman Empire, shared but solved different way, North
The American Historical Review