The Politics of Social Conflict: The Peak Country, 1520–1770

by Andy Wood

• ISBN13: 9780521037723
• ISBN10: 0521037727
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2007-07-30
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Summary

This 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.

Table of Contents

List of figures

List of tables

List of maps

Preface

List of abbreviations

Introduction - 'terms we did not understand-: landscape, place and perceptions

Social relations and popular culture in early modern England

The Structures of Inequality

Economy and society in the Peak Country, c. 1520-1570

Industrialization and social change, c. 1570-1660

The Peak Country as an industrial region, c. 1660-1770

Social conflict and early capitalism

The Conditions of Community

-The memory of the people-: custom, law and popular culture

The politics of custom

Community, identity and culture

The Politics of Social Conflict

-Pyllage uppon the poore mynorz-: sources of social conflict, 1500-1600

-All is hurly burly here-: local histories of social conflict, 1600-1640

The Peak in context: riot and popular politics in early Stuart England

-Prerogative hath many proctors-: the English Revolution and the plebeian politics of the Peak, 1640-1660

The experience of defeat? The defence of custom, 1660-1770

The making of the English working class in the Derbyshire Peak Country

Bibliography

Index

Table of Contents provided by Publisher. All Rights Reserved.