Mediaeval Socialism
1914
Bede Jarrett made a radical claim in 1913: socialism didn't begin with Marx or the Industrial Revolution. It flourished in the medieval world, woven into the fabric of monastic communities, guild systems, and Church doctrine. This scholarly investigation traces the forgotten lineage of collective ownership and mutual aid back to the Middle Ages, revealing how medieval thinkers grappled with questions of property, poverty, and the common good centuries before these ideas had names. Jarrett examines the Church Fathers, the Scholastics, medieval lawyers, and various reform movements to demonstrate that concerns about economic inequality and community responsibility are ancient, not modern. Written during the rise of industrial socialism, this book asks a pointed question: if we forgot these medieval roots, what else have we misunderstood about where our economic ideas come from?
About Mediaeval Socialism
Chapter Summaries
- I
- This chapter introduces the book's premise, defining medieval 'socialism' as theories advocating for societal ownership of land and capital. It traces the philosophical heritage of social teaching, including patristic views linking social institutions to the Fall, Roman legalists' justification of institutions by experience, and the communal biases of monasticism and feudalism.
- II
- This chapter describes the feudal manor system, emphasizing land tenure and the gradual emergence of a landless labor class. It highlights the Black Death as a critical event that disrupted fixed services, increased wages, and led to the 1381 Peasant Revolt, marking a shift towards a commodified labor market regulated by the State.
- III
- This chapter explores various medieval proponents of communism, from obscure gnostic sects and 'Spiritual Franciscans' to John Ball, 'The Mad Priest of Kent,' a key figure in the 1381 Peasant Revolt. It also analyzes Wycliff's complex 'Dominion by Grace' theory, which, despite its communistic sound, is interpreted as more about the right to use than actual possession.
Key Themes
- Evolution of Social Thought
- The book meticulously traces how ideas about property, authority, and social organization were not static but evolved dynamically from classical antiquity through the Middle Ages. It demonstrates how thinkers continuously adapted and reinterpreted existing philosophies in response to new challenges and changing societal structures.
- Theological Justification of Social Structures
- A core theme is the profound influence of Christian theology on medieval social theory. Patristic thought, particularly the concept of the Fall of Adam, was used to justify the necessity of civil authority, slavery, and private property, while later scholasticism refined these arguments, often linking moral principles to economic realities.
- Economic Conditions and Social Unrest
- The text highlights the direct correlation between evolving economic realities—such as the decline of feudalism, the rise of trade, and the impact of the Black Death—and the emergence of socialistic theories and popular revolts. It shows how material conditions spurred intellectual and practical demands for social reform.
Characters
- Bede Jarrett(author)
- The author and narrator, who presents and analyzes medieval social and economic theories.
- St. Thomas Aquinas(central theorist)
- A prominent Schoolman whose systematic theories on private property, its necessity, and the duty of almsgiving formed the bedrock of medieval scholastic thought.
- Aristotle(influential philosopher)
- An ancient Greek philosopher whose *Politics* provided a critical framework for medieval thinkers' debates on property and social organization.
- Plato(influential philosopher)
- An ancient Greek philosopher whose advocacy for common property in his ideal republic was debated and critiqued by Aristotle and medieval Schoolmen.
- St. Augustine(Church Father)
- A key Church Father whose theological distinction between human nature before and after the Fall profoundly shaped medieval justifications for social institutions like private property and civil authority.
- John Wycliff(religious enthusiast, theorist)
- An Oxford professor whose theory of 'Dominion by Grace' had communistic implications, though his actual intent and connection to the Peasant Revolt are nuanced.
