Poverty and Capitalism in Pre‑industrial Europe

Article number 10218270

Poverty and Capitalism in Pre‑industrial Europe examines the relationship between poverty and the emergence of capitalist structures in Europe from the late Middle Ages to the early Industrial Revolution. The book analyzes how economic changes, social inequality, and urban growth affected the living conditions of the poor, and how traditional communities responded to the pressures of market economies and labor exploitation. By highlighting both regional differences and long-term developments, it provides a systematic overview of the transformation of pre-industrial societies and the mechanisms through which poverty persisted and was sometimes institutionalized, focusing on economic structures, labor, social hierarchies, and the interaction between local and broader economic forces.