The Development Of The Associative Principle During The Middle Ages: Three Lectures, Read Before The Members And Patrons Of The Huddersfield Early Closing Association (1859)

by Christopher Barker

General Synopsis

Core Subject:

The book is an academic work that explores the historical development of "the associative principle" during the Middle Ages. This principle refers to the concept of people coming together in groups or associations for a common purpose.

Historical Focus:

Barker analyzes how this principle manifested in various forms during the medieval period. This would likely include:

Guilds:

The well-known medieval associations of craftsmen and merchants.

Religious Orders:

Monastic and other religious communities that formed for a shared spiritual life.

Fraternities and Confraternities:

Lay or religious associations focused on mutual support, charity, and social functions.

Early forms of democratic or communal organizations:

The rise of city-states and other forms of collective governance.

Purpose:

The book's origin as a series of three lectures for the "Huddersfield Early Closing Association" is key to understanding its purpose. This association was a social reform group advocating for shorter workdays. Therefore, the lectures were likely intended to provide a historical and intellectual foundation for their contemporary cause. Barker probably used the historical examples of medieval associations to argue for the importance and historical precedent of collective action and mutual support in his own time.

Audience:

The book was not an academic treatise for professional historians but rather a public lecture series for a general audience of working people. Barker's goal would have been to make the history accessible and relevant to their lives and their social reform movement.

Summary:

In essence, Christopher Barker's book is an historical analysis of collective action in the Middle Ages, presented as a justification and source of inspiration for the social reform movements of 19th-century England. It explores how individuals came together to form groups for economic, social, and spiritual purposes, drawing a line of historical continuity from the medieval guilds to the modern-day "Early Closing Association."

Publishers Note

This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the original. Due to its age, it may contain imperfections such as marks, notations, marginalia and flawed pages. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions that are true to the original work.