Kinship and exchange relations within an estate economy : Ditchley, 1680-1750
This thesis presents original evidence on changes occurring within the exchange economy of a north-west Oxfordshire rural community during the first half of the eighteenth century. It has been suggested that capitalism began to evolve in rural areas of England during this period due to the transformation of agriculture and growth of consumerism. Thus one would expect to find evidence of a growing commercialisation of the agrarian population characterised by increased reliance upon the market and a diminution of customary exchange and self-provisioning. Drawing evidence from the Ditchley estate accounts, the balance of monetary and nonmonetary exchange, the nature of transactions, and the role of kinship connections in mediating them, are described and analysed. It is argued that whilst the accounts do reveal significant levels of monetization and widespread use of market exchange especially after 1725, an extensive, largely non-monetized internal estate market in goods operated in parallel. These two systems appear to have been as much complementary as in competition, reflecting the high levels of integration within the local agrarian economy of the stonebrash region. Moreover, analysis of kinship networks
Hann, Andrew Grahame
Feudalism; Capitalism; Peasants; Economy
Kinship and exchange relations within an estate economy : Ditchley, 1680-1750. This thesis presents original evidence on changes occurring within the exchange economy of a north-west Oxfordshire rural community during the first half of the eighteenth century. It has been suggested that capitalism began to evolve in rural areas of England during this period due to the transformation of agriculture and growth of consumerism. Thus one would expect to find evidence of a growing commercialisation of the agrarian population characterised by increased reliance upon the market and a diminution of customary exchange and self-provisioning. Drawing evidence from the Ditchley estate accounts, the balance of monetary and nonmonetary exchange, the nature of transactions, and the role of kinship connections in mediating them, are described and analysed. It is argued that whilst the accounts do reveal significant levels of monetization and widespread use of market exchange especially after 1725, an extensive, largely non-monetized internal estate market in goods operated in parallel. These two systems appear to have been as much complementary as in competition, reflecting the high levels of integration within the local agrarian economy of the stonebrash region. Moreover, analysis of kinship networks
kinship exchange relation within estate economy present_original evidence change_occur within exchange economy north_west oxfordshire rural_community suggest capitalism begin evolve rural_area england_period due transformation agriculture growth consumerism thus one_would expect evidence grow commercialisation agrarian population characterise increase reliance upon market customary exchange self drawing evidence estate account balance monetary exchange nature transaction role kinship connection mediate describe analyse argue_whilst account reveal_significant level monetization widespread use market exchange especially extensive largely non internal estate market good operate parallel system appear much complementary competition reflect high_level integration within local agrarian_economy region moreover analysis kinship network