Medieval land reclamation and the creation of new societies: comparing Holland and the Po Valley, c.800–c.1500
Daniel R. Curtis|Michèle Campopiano
One problem with scholarly research into land reclamation has been the tendency to concentrate on two questions – how and why did it happen leading an over-emphasis technological innovation demographic commercial pressures. This obscured far more fascinating significant what were social consequences of pre-industrial reclamation? What kinds societies emerged as a result These are addressed through comparative historical analysis cases in medieval period: peat lands Holland (the Netherlands) Po Valley plains (Northern Italy). In paper is shown that led emergence very divergent societies, characterised by number different configurations in; (a) power property structure, (b) modes exploitation, (c) economic portfolios, (d) commodity markets. final section, further question considered. To extent either these inherently better configured negate potentially disastrous effects natural environment? conclusion argued ‘equitable’ ‘freer’ placed deal environmental degradation than those marked polarisation repression even when polarised made recourse capital investment technology.
Journal of Historical Geography