The modern fate of the guild system

Author: Peng Nansheng
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2003-03-01
Features: This book primarily explores the existence and transformation of guild systems in modern times, as well as their status and role in politics, economy, and society. Since the 1980s, Chinese historiography has conducted extensive research on the formation and functions of merchant associations, often comparing them with guilds and largely viewing merchant associations as the modern transformation and development of guilds. While this research holds considerable value, it is one-sided to consider merchant associations as the sole orientation of the modern transformation of guilds. In reality, industrial and commercial industry associations are the "cousins" of traditional guilds. However, in this regard, academia has lacked the necessary research, and the author's work, to some extent, addresses this gap.