The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1928-05-04
Elements of
Political Education
1.-WHY AND HOW DID THE GUILD HANDI-
CRAFT SYSTEM BREAK UP?

In the period of domination of cosedn feuda econo-
N.Y. the handicrafts as independent free professions,
did not exist. Handicraf work the task of serfs
and all working of materials done by them in the
household of the lord and for his needs.
However the handicrafts, gradually, one after the
other, disappeared from the house and became
exclusively city occupations The guild organizations
of the handicrafts alliances of masters e. indie
pendent artisans, founded the basis of mutual
aid and also the basis of struggle for the freeing
of the cities from feudal oppression and for political
equality
In this generally successful struggle the power of
the guilds grew, their economic strength became Sc
cure but together with this the basis of COMPETE
ton, the closedin character of the guilds developed
The guilds repealed the groups of workers who could
not establish themselves independently or who were
in need of training These groups-the iournevmen
and apprentices-being outside the guilds were sub
Jected to greater and greater exploitation which inn
PEELED them to organize in unions Starting with the
18th century struggle began between the ourneymen
and masters reaching particular acuteness in the 18th
and in the beginning of the 10Th century Often as a
result OF their solidarity and great numbers the Jour
neymens unions were successful in this struggle How
ever this struggle not capable of founding united
workers movement since the same journeymen get
ting into power, bore themselves haughty and with
hostility to the newcomers from the village localities
the unframed workers, day-workers etc. who either
mad no organizations, were very weakly organized
Inc struggle between the handicraft guilds and the
Journeymens unions, and also the severe exploitation
OF the hired workers disrupted the guild system from
within.
However economic outside of the guilds were
OF much greater Importance in dsruptng the guild or
CARNATIONS. AS has already been mentioned having
the possibility despite the guild charter of exploiting
Cne LABOR OF the Jouneymen and hired workers to the
NUMBER OF III to 10 persons of the masters reach
ed considerable level of wealth. possessing largo ar
tai The guild organization however GRAINED the do
Veopment OF the entrepreneur activity of these CANT
tastmasters, narrowing the scope of their expoita
Con and therefore entrpreneurcapita sought broad
er field for its activity which it found in the bar
village labor The organization of home industry tbe
investment OF capital in it-this is the field in which
enCrepreneur capital develops its activity lenotbenn
the working day of home workers to 1918 hours o,
plotting womens and chldren's labor without anv on
pOsliOn whatsoever, which the charters of the city
sunus would have prohibited or in any case limited
ms nome industry led to the rapid accumulation
Oh commodities, but the development of trade far he
yohu tne borders of the local market made nossibe
rapid ana profitable commodity turnover Under the
influence OF these conditions village home industry
ssows tne city handcrafts, cramped within the frame
u ene guilds cannot survive the competition of the
1921 piouuce OF home production and become al
ready less profitable economically
Independently of this, the artisans s+;u .,;u.; .
the guild organization and working in the s; of AZ
-
sunu charters become more and more esranood fror,
uiree' connection with the market by the mercbsD+
capitalist Trading (merchant capital extend;n +So
scope OIL trade far beyond the local market i
OF the situation, for it alone can most urotab
nsar y e wares which do not find sufficient sale
n Inc point OF production, it alone can await Az
most profitable condition of the market etc ,e
producer, falling into independence non Az
ercnant 1uifills his WILL e. the viii of be
arket. de produces what the merchant dictates AZ
la''er oIten supplying him with raw materials ~
money In his work he unavoidably begins to lear -
carry out the economically orders Of tbo
guild charter. OF The
mus, the development of home industry A. -.
Oh 1ne little artsan-producer of direct contact ia.
the market the subsection of the artisan -
capital the class struggle between the masters s
JOulneymen, undermined the guild handicrafts sS.t anu
and brought it to disruption. ssS'em