Impact of Guilds on Medieval Life - Research Paper Example

?(Add (Add (Add Impact of guilds on Medieval Life Introduction Community models of social life and the emergence of life settlement based on a chosen career formed the idea of professionalism in human civilization. A great prospect of this organized work strategy was the formation of trade unions in many identified professional areas consisting of artisans and skilled workers in specialized trades. The identification of the demand and the intellectual monopoly of certain fields of work encouraged the unorganized workers to come together and form unions called ‘guilds’ which included the unity of craftsmen in various fields such as textiles, architecture, carpentry etc. Guilds were the early associations of skilled workers that originated in the European countries – mostly, France, Germany, England and Italy – which had the written consent of the authority of their region to manage the workforce relevant to the requirements of job owners. Guilds had their advantages of working as collective union whereby ensuring employment opportunities to all the members with reasonable wages and social respect. They held high regards from the monarchs and clergymen for the unique knowledge they possessed for accomplishing the required merits at their desired fields of work. This essay focuses on the influence of guilds in industry, trade and economy across the world during the medieval period. Origin and Extend Guilds were probably the first organized group of individuals set for contributing money and effort towards a common goal in the history of mankind. They comprised the involvement of people from all walks of life which had the original root from the Anglo-Saxon civilization throughout Europe. According to Staley, as early as the period of Roman Empire, trade unions were formed with the association of men of similar age, interests, instincts and employment skills and trained for the purpose of the wellbeing and the moral guidance of the society (33). Early guilds were effectively trained by the trade schools for the military purposes and for the constructive requirements of kingdoms. Trained guilds were able to handle jobs in organized sectors, and most of them provided employment to individuals working from their homes. Organized activities of guilds had their influence greatly on the administrative sectors of revenue and merchandise in the early European economy. Since the ancient trade involved international transport of commodities, merchants had formed guilds that operated their business mainly through sea-routes. These trade gilds were the founders of sub-classes of business processes like wholesalers, retailers and business agents in their domestic as well as international commerce. The foremost of all their achievements was the formation of colonies in foreign countries for the easy access to international business. A clear reference of the proceedings of the early merchant guilds focus the light to the centralized business management applications they employed in the international commerce. Some studies like that of Richardson show that these guilds had a strict regulation of a contractual relationship among members by which they were collectively responsible for the default of each member; and in case of the goods being forfeited at a foreign port for alleviating bad debts, the owner could claim for compensation from the actual defaulter at his home country. Craft guilds, on the other hand, focused on the promotion of particular trades and owned small work units that usually operated from home. Their basic segment of work related to conversion of agricultural commodities to consumable goods and their sales in the open market. Bakers, butchers and brewers were the most important category that held the profession in the consumer goods trade. More durable goods were the elements of manufacture guilds that produced goods and sold them in distant markets besides meeting the demands of the local buyers. Under the durable’s category, agricultural and military equipments, textiles, footwear and metal ware were included. Apart from these, there was another guild category that sold intellect and service – as by clerks, entertainers etc. It is evident from all this that the guilds of any form had their strategic involvement in the procedures for economic stability and social security of their members. Influence of Guilds on Medieval Commerce The prominence of the merchant guilds in the medieval period was strong enough to build a platform for the organized business sectors in the later years. The most important feature of their advantageous effect was the introduction of a norm by which social capital was invested in commerce. They spread almost all parts of the world during the medieval period covering entire Europe, North Africa, Central and South America, India and China. The colonizing early merchants were the initiators of several trade policies between countries before the industrial revolution. They were the largest known institutions for the organized venture of trade with the assistance of investment and subscription from members for the sustainability concern over such a long period. Though there were assumptions that the influence of guilds may result in the monopolistic capitalism of large scale merchants, the collective attempt to regularize the income flow of all the members of the guild effectively achieved it the position of arguably the strongest model of historic constitution of business management that guaranteed reduced risk at higher profit. As Ogilvie points out, merchant guild has been identified as a great solution to serious economic problems such as state extortion, commercial insecurity, contract enforcement, principal-agent relationships, imperfect information and economic volatility (3). The advancement of merchant guilds in the European regions and their successful operation in their respective colonies stood as a business model that eventually held the torch of the Commercial Revolution in the medieval era. Influence of Trade Guilds Trade guilds had a very organized body of individuals that contributed financially and physically towards the better functioning of the collective enterprises in particular trade sectors. They largely influenced in the dramatic growth of employment sector and catered the progress of urbanization. As the world’s progress depends on the productive engagement of individuals from all around the world, the principles of trade unions to promote skilled workforce designed for specific tasks in the early times still have their influence in the modern era of development. Under the trade guilds, workers enjoyed regular income-gaining tasks as well as freedom to choose the career of their interest. Employers at different regions were also beneficiaries from the involvement of guilds as they supplied or directed skilled workforce for desired labor requirements. From the workers angle, trade guilds not only assured them job opportunities, but also guaranteed reasonable wages and social identity. The fundamental inspiration behind the success of the trade guilds was the effective leadership of guild-masters, who guided and regulated the work pattern of the artisan’s labor. Singman reveals that the adjudication of the quality of labor was done by the guild-master in association with his general assistants called jurors (194). Each category of skilled labor force had their guild-masters who served as a head trainer for the incumbent worker in the trade. They also taught the ethics and spiritual perfections expected from each worker with regards to his employment and views about the labor in general. The effectiveness of leadership and the organized expansion of employment in various sectors eventually turned different communities economically stable and socially upgraded. These features represent the importance of trade guild’s professional views about the trade and the human resource management principles at such an early stage in the history. Socio-economic Influences The effectiveness of guilds was largely reflected in the strength of commitment they exhibited in commercial development of different regions and the methodologies they applied in solving persistent issues related to business in the medieval past. Studies like that of Ogilvie reveal that, guilds were proficient organizations that enhanced economic growth before the industrial revolution with a number of methods to improve the exchange of goods and services for a profitable motive by expanding business areas, developing skilled labor and by maintaining a social network within the framework of legal implications of rights and responsibilities of the stakeholders. The expansion of guilds in various fields effectively contributed economic independence to both tradesmen and traders. During the medieval period, almost every segment of labor was organized and the workers were nominated as permanent members of the category of their trade. Assurance of more guaranteed income from the guild-guided profiles attracted many women to different trades ranging from fishmongers to grazers who considered their employment as a tool for the financial stability of their family. The socio-economic influence of guilds thus created a new face for the economic sector which enormously contributed to the industrial development in many countries in the medieval period itself. Conclusion Collectiveness in activities and unanimity in opinions always helped guilds build a concrete platform for their successful survival over the medieval period. An originally European idea of the artisans to guarantee and regulate the employment opportunities and socio-economic growth of the underprivileged workforce, guilds, formed and operated for many centuries with a long list of achievements in the history. Most basically, guilds served as an organizer of defragmented skills and scattered market locations across the world by promoting trade unions and international business norms for the sustainable growth of the economic communities mainly of Europe. Moreover, all the positive effects of guild strategies during the past became references for modern economists and business scholars in the later stages of the commercial world. Works Cited Ogilvie, Sheilagh. Institutions and European Trade: Merchant Guilds, 1000-1800. New York: Cambridge University Press, 2011. Print. Ogilvie, Sheilagh. “Guilds, efficiency, and social capital evidence from German proto-industry.” CESifo Working Paper no. 820. (2002): 1-33. Web. 23 April 2012. Richardson, Gary. “Medieval guilds.” EH. Net, (2010). Web. 23 April 2012. Staley, Edgcumbe. The Guilds of Florence . New York: Ayer Publishing, 1906. Print. Singman, Jeffrey L. Daily Life in Medieval Europe. USA: Greenwood Publishing Group, 1999. Print. Read More