Formation of the merchant class and the transformation of Western European society

Author: Zhao Lixing
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-03-01
Features: This book examines the merchant class as its subject, arguing that the main force behind commercial development is the merchant class. It strives to demonstrate that the commercial development and formation of merchants in the Middle Ages were not abrupt phenomena but rather a continuous process. The formation of the merchant class underwent several distinct stages. The formation of the merchant class was not an isolated movement but the result of the combined changes in social mechanisms, social consciousness, and socioeconomic conditions. The formation of the merchant class was not achieved through opposition to the manorial system but rather through the ebb and flow of power between the two. This book employs methods from history, sociology, and cultural studies to examine the formation of the European merchant class and its impact on the transformation of Western European society. It argues that the formation of the merchant class was the result of changes in social mechanisms, social consciousness, and socioeconomic conditions, and that it was not achieved through opposition to the manorial system but rather through the ebb and flow of power between the two. Its formation not only led to the division of economic power but also triggered a series of changes in law, morality, culture, and social consciousness. It served as the material and ideological foundation for Western Europe's transition from the Middle Ages to the modern era. The book draws on the latest research findings from abroad and holds high academic value.