The English Revolution 1640, "2) a) The Land" ~ Christopher Hill Summary note - 0 views
started by Ian Schlom on 19 Nov 11
started by Ian Schlom on 19 Nov 11
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Initially small agricultural feudal society, production was oriented toward the isolated village community. This was starting to change. There were bourgeois changes that were happening. The urban centres were experiencing them, and in the South and the East of England farming practises were changing. Courgeois techniques were being instituted in farming, and a land capitalist class was growing. Though, to avoid confusion it is necessary to state that the actual practises of production remained the same, no innovations. The only change was that the production was increased and the aims for production had changed, no longer maintianing social and military status, but the sole classic capitalist incentive, profit.
The feudal aims of social and military power (domestically) changed into the finacial, profit-driven capiotalist aims. This shift, however restrained it was by feudalism, was harmful to the commoners, who were threatened with even greater insecurity during a time of economic decline and stagnation, a depression.
Capitalism and its effects on the people was also disturbing to a culture based on human relations (Chomsky) and protections through the feudal contract. The capitalism ethic was shocking to the people unindoctrinated to this system's mytholody and ideology. As "the Puritan moralist, Stubbes" says, “Is not he a greater thief that robbeth a man of his good name for ever, that taketh a man’s house over his head, before his yea be expired, that wresteth from a man his goods, his lands and livings . . . than he that stealeth a sheep, a cow, or an ox, for necessity’s sake only, having not otherwise to relieve his need?" This attack makes the capitalists what they really are to people who were never indoctrinated in the ideology of capitalism, criminals greater than common criminals, because they commit crimes for profit rather than survival.
The land capitlaists turned the feudal copyholds into leaseholds, helping make the tenants into insecure positions, easy to evict. During The depression, [somewhat due to the ludicrous affairs of the monarchs (Kenyon, Ch 1 & 2)], the land capitalists exacted a high rent from their tenants, ruthlessly evicting them to become vagabonds or rogues.
This insecurity of tenant farmers, whom made up sugnificant portions of the population, not to mention the barbaric treatment of "vagabonds and rogues" must have contributed to a great outrage to both the changes taking place and the monarch, James I, [who didn't care for the commoners and didn't really do anything with their affairs. He was very much a stranger to them (Kenyon ch 1)]. These factors contributed to the outrage of the commoners.
The capitalists weren't able to fully develop themselves without the dismantling of the feudal restrictions. This want of the capitalists for capitalist land reform contributed to their outrage and incentive for a rebellion and bourgeois revolution.
If things stayed feudal, England wasn't going to develop and could face retrogression. "State power was being used to prevent the growth of a national market." Thus, the conflict between Monarch and bourgeoisie, who very much desired the national market. '(TALK ABOUT REACTIONARY!)'