Medieval Craft Guild Case Study
Medieval craft guilds were exclusive associations recognised by law in exchange for royalties and taxes. Although an important predecessor of forma organisations, they cannot be defined themselves as such. In Coleman’s definition, a formal organisation receives resources ultimately from natural persons. This resources can be invested and divested at choice of people in charge of controlling them. In Medieval craft guilds this was not possible: those willing to work under the guild had to invest all their wealth. The artisans worked toward the common aim of ensuring members’ economic stability at the expense of social welfare. Setting prices and quality standards was one of the key economic characters of craft associations. Guilds policies included
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Whereas, on a social level, the craft associations aimed at enhancing “the symbolic value of honour”. The honourableness of the guild was preserved through restrictive entrance: whoever was thought to be disreputable was not given the possibility to become a guild member. Being dishonourable, however, was fairly easy: illegitimate children, women, members of specific occupation and their relatives were not accepted as guild members (with the exception of widows of masters which were accepted as second-level master).
Above restricting external competition, which was justified by the religious belief that the maximization of profits was a sin, internal rules were also laid down in medieval craft guilds: the aim of these rules was to prevent any inequality among members: rules were enacted so as to attain equality of income among …show more content…
They were enclosed associations whose only objective is to ensure economic stability for its members. The guild can be compared to a family, since there is not a private sphere outside the organisation for craftsmen. In terms of innovation, although guilds hindered it from the inside causing a slow down, it continued throughout the middle ages. On the whole, guilds shaped the economic and the social aspects of the community manipulating demand and supply of their products through vertical integration, monopolies and monopsonies and in turn increasing the craftsmen social welfare at the expense of the
Whereas, on a social level, the craft associations aimed at enhancing “the symbolic value of honour”. The honourableness of the guild was preserved through restrictive entrance: whoever was thought to be disreputable was not given the possibility to become a guild member. Being dishonourable, however, was fairly easy: illegitimate children, women, members of specific occupation and their relatives were not accepted as guild members (with the exception of widows of masters which were accepted as second-level master).
Above restricting external competition, which was justified by the religious belief that the maximization of profits was a sin, internal rules were also laid down in medieval craft guilds: the aim of these rules was to prevent any inequality among members: rules were enacted so as to attain equality of income among …show more content…
They were enclosed associations whose only objective is to ensure economic stability for its members. The guild can be compared to a family, since there is not a private sphere outside the organisation for craftsmen. In terms of innovation, although guilds hindered it from the inside causing a slow down, it continued throughout the middle ages. On the whole, guilds shaped the economic and the social aspects of the community manipulating demand and supply of their products through vertical integration, monopolies and monopsonies and in turn increasing the craftsmen social welfare at the expense of the