The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1928-04-27
Elements of
Political Education
I9. WHAT WERE THE ECONOMIC CONSEQUENT
CES OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF CITY ECON

ONLY?
The development of the economic life of the mediae-
val cities led to the following results l. Serfdom
the economic basis of the feuda system first
Germined, and then destroyed q The guild handicraft
system broke up 8. Handicrafts, developing rapidly
the basis of developed exchange fell under the in
fuence of and into dependence upon trading and
mercial capital On the basis of the permeation of
the guild organizations of the handicrafs by capital
and the breakup of the guilds there and develop
ed home capitalist industry 5. In the cities there
arose and grew strong class-the trading bour-
geoisie
20. HOW DID THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE CITIES
LEAD TO THE DESTRUCTION OF SERFDOM?
The chief feature of the city as an economic organ-
cation lies in the fact that in of the social division
OF labor 1t exist only basis of exchange rela-
tons and therefore by its very existence it undermnes
the cosedn naturaTeconomic organizations which pro-
duce all their necessities at home and do need ex
change If the villages and domains did not bring
their grain and other food products to the city, life in
it would be impossible This is why the urban system
OF economy enter into struggle with the closed in and
backward economy of the domains and villages gradu-
ally subjecting them to its economic rule
But this is not all. Before the appearance of the
markets feudal economy produces all necessities at
nome and does not try to have any surplus since it
would have nowhere to dispose of it in any case This
condition of economy undermined from two sides On
the one side, the and crusades widened the de-
ahds OF the agricultural GLASS; brought the western
countries of Europe into contact with the rich east and
with still farther removed countries as for examine In
dla with its fabulous riches addicted this class to lux
urous living, and thus evoked and augmented the de-
mand Tor money which began at this time to plav the
chief role IN exchange On the other side the desire TO
increase money incomes could be satisfied only through
the appearance of the city markets. where agricultural
products could be sold at profitable prices The noss
oy OF selling these products increased their value in
the eyes of the landlord and made him take ,,oos,
Tor raising the productivity of agricultural labor
Under such conditions, it was not difficult for the
lana ord TO get the idea that the increase of the nro
uu.'i'I'y Oh ms compulsory peasant labor was the
cme1 source OF his wealth and that on the other hand
w i"Oor OI Cne ser1-the personally bound peasant
could not be economically profitable since it was low
er IN productivity that the labor of FREQ mon IT,;
Impelled the landowner to lessen the denendanco 90
tne ses' to change his relations with the peasantr
70 relations OF exclusively monetary obligations which
tne peasant took upon himself receiving his enanc;n
on mus the growth of the economic demands of tbe
s'ui'ural class together with the development of
CITY economy and trade leads to the gradual vveaLan
ing and humiliation of serfdom The reod &c -
OioughC the landlord to set his peasants freeofto
"nole villages for definite purchase sum navab -
lump or every wear ' P"S"ie IL
III !'ay TINS process of freeing the serfs was carried
tnru In the course of the 18th and 18Th centn;o =
AZ ene end OF the 18th century about 1879 of
l6SSeeS 0f
ea7 ou1 independent In person and land Tho Sorna
eng happened in England, Germany and Russia n
and particularly in Russia this process was
slower TIN Russia natural dues and money rent ex;st
+sn en- up 70 the second half of the 10Th century,
goes without saying that the freeing of +lo sore
was contradiction to the foundation of tbo
EN- Inc development of the new method Of nrodyo-
uon-the industrial-and the new prodnctro
sps forced the feudal system give up position ser
cities . 'ne new economic organization in which the
the deciding role These cities became the - pay
stage TO the organization of the new capitalist society
Inc most iterate individuals are those who c.r o.d
but won't. "no can read
Inc oldest thing about secrets of success is that ts
are told everywhere " mat eney
e. %Oman's intuition is marvellous sure enough Int
just 'ne same she burns the toast now and then.