Subject
Inclosures Books
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Gilbert Slater
The English Peasantry and the Enclosure of Common Fields
"The English Peasantry and the Enclosure of Common Fields" by Gilbert Slater is a historical account written in the early 20th century. The work delves into the significant socio-economic changes in rural England due to the enclosure of common fields, focusing on the deterioration of village communities and the impact on peasant life. It examines the transition from communal agriculture to individual farming and the subsequent displacement of rural populations. At the start of the text, the author outlines his motivations for investigating the enclosures, acknowledging the encouragement he received from colleagues and institutions, including the London School of Economics. He discusses the historical context of enclosure, emphasizes the importance of collective ownership in maintaining rural tradition, and hints at the necessity for a renewed agricultural policy that champions the rights and livelihoods of small landholders and agricultural workers. The opening sets a framework for exploring the long-term consequences of enclosure on the fabric of English rural society, laying the groundwork for a detailed exploration of various community structures and their transformations throughout the chapters.
J. L. (John Lawrence) Hammond
The village labourer, 1760-1832 A study in the government of England before the Reform Bill
"The Village Labourer, 1760-1832" by J. L. Hammond and Barbara Bradby Hammond is a historical account written in the early 20th century. The work explores the life and conditions of the rural poor in England during a pivotal era marked by governmental power and social changes leading up to the Reform Bill. The authors seek to illuminate both the processes of Parliamentary enclosure and the resulting labourers' uprising of 1830, shedding light on the struggles faced by these workers under an unequal system of governance. The opening of the book sets the stage for a comprehensive examination of the governing dynamics in pre-Reform Bill England, particularly focusing on the aristocracy’s overwhelming control over political and local structures. The text contrasts the experiences of the working classes with the prevailing narratives centered on the ruling elite, emphasizing the conditions that dictated the villagers' lives. It introduces the concept of Parliamentary enclosure, highlighting both its procedural complexity and the profound ramifications it had on the agrarian landscape, ultimately contributing to social unrest and the demand for better conditions among the working populace.
Harriett Bradley Fitt
The Enclosures in England: An Economic Reconstruction
"The Enclosures in England: An Economic Reconstruction" by Harriett Bradley Fitt is a historical account written in the early 20th century. This work examines the enclosure movement in England, which transformed land use from common farming practices to privately owned enclosed fields, significantly impacting the agricultural landscape and social structure of the time. The book seeks to provide a critical analysis of prevailing theories regarding the motivations for this movement, specifically challenging the notion that it was primarily driven by economic gains from wool prices. The opening of the text outlines the traditional understanding of the enclosure movement, which has often centered on rising wool prices and the desire for greater profit. Fitt critiques this perspective, pointing out that the price of wool actually fell during the critical periods of transition. Instead, she argues that the decline in productivity of common-field land due to centuries of cultivation and inadequate agricultural practices drove the shift towards grazing systems. The author plans to analyze contemporary evidence to construct a more nuanced narrative of the enclosure movement, suggesting that the loss of soil fertility was a significant factor in the movement, thereby reshaping the reader's understanding of this pivotal period in English economic history.
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