The Politics of Social Conflict: The Peak Country, 1520–1770This book provides an alternative approach to the history of social conflict, popular politics and plebeian culture in the early modern period. Based on a close study of the Peak Country of Derbyshire c.1520–1770, it has implications for understandings of class identity, popular culture, riot, custom and social relations. A detailed reconstruction of economic and social change within the region is followed by an in-depth examination of the changing cultural meanings of custom, gender, locality, skill, literacy, orality and magic. The local history of social conflict sheds light upon the nature of political engagement and the origins of early capitalism. Important insights are offered into early modern social and gender identities, civil war allegiances, the appeal of radical ideas and the making of the English working class. Above all, the book challenges the claim that early modern England was a hierarchical, 'pre-class' society. |
Contents
1 | |
1 Social relations and popular culture in early modern England | 10 |
Part I THE STRUCTURES OF INEQUALITY | 39 |
Part II THE CONDITIONS OF COMMUNITY | 125 |
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Common terms and phrases
accounts action amongst Ashford attempt authority barmaster barmote became capitalism cavers Chapter civil claim collective common conŻict concerning continued cope Court culture customary deŽned dependent deposits Derbyshire Duchy Earl early modern economic eighteenth century enclosure England English established estates evidence Field followed fols force free mining gentry given Haddon High Peak historians House households identity important increased industry inhabitants interest John King's labour land late later lead eld lead mining less Leveller listed London lords manor Marxism Matlock miners mining custom mining rights neighbours operated organized parish Peak Country period petition plebeian political poor popular population possessed presented production records region relations remained resistance riot seen seventeenth century sixteenth social society structure tenants tithe town tradition villages Wapentake Wirksworth women