Abstract
This article is a contribution to the comprehensive re-examination of the role of guilds in early-modern urban economies, which has been undertaken by European scholars over the last two decades. The study of a series of 3,343 guild master diplomas obtained by journeymen in eighteenth-century Madrid reveals a diverse pattern of access to mastership. The majority of Madrid's skilled workforce had not been born in the city, nor were they guildmasters’ sons. In early-modern Madrid, the reproduction of the guilds was closely tied to political regulation, but this did not preclude them from organizing their own skilled labour markets. This evidence helps us to clear these institutions of the accusation that their corporative, inbred nature was responsible for their lengthy crisis.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callMore From: Investigaciones de Historia Económica - Economic History Research
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
