Labour and labour markets between town and countryside (Middle Ages – 19th century)

Edited by Bruno Blonde Edited by Michele Galand Edited by Eric Vanhaute

Book cover: Labour and labour markets between town and countryside (Middle Ages – 19th century)

Extent: 304 pages

Publisher: Brepols Publishers

Subjects: Medieval Studies, Twentieth- & Twenty-First- Century History

Series: Comparative Rural History of the North Sea Area

Series volume number: 6

Language: English

Paperback (Published)

(November 2001)

ISBN: 9782503512815

Price: $89.00

In stock

Labour and labour markets in and between town and countryside have been puzzling to economic historians for generations. This book brings together specialists in economic and social history to explore a series of key mechanisms related to the organisation and interdependence of urban and rural labour markets. A variety of issues, such as distribution, specialisation, and division of tasks, economies of urbanisation and -(conversely) rural de-localisation, (temporary) mobility of labour and commercial links, organisation of working time, methods of remuneration, gendered specialisation of activities, are dealt with in this book from the viewpoint of (changing) relationships between rural and urban labour markets. The renewed interest of social scientists in this research field is reflected by the diversity of the cases analysed according to geographical, demographic, and economic and political conditions. This book, therefore, provides interesting opportunities for a comparative reading of the significance of labour in the organisation of societies in the course of the centuries that preceded and led up to the ‘industrial age’ in Western Europe.


Labour and labour markets in and between town and countryside have been puzzling to economic historians for generations. This book brings together specialists in economic and social history to explore a series of key mechanisms related to the organisation and interdependence of urban and rural labour markets. A variety of issues, such as distribution, specialisation, and division of tasks, economies of urbanisation and -(conversely) rural de-localisation, (temporary) mobility of labour and commercial links, organisation of working time, methods of remuneration, gendered specialisation of activities, are dealt with in this book from the viewpoint of (changing) relationships between rural and urban labour markets. The renewed interest of social scientists in this research field is reflected by the diversity of the cases analysed according to geographical, demographic, and economic and political conditions. This book, therefore, provides interesting opportunities for a comparative reading of the significance of labour in the organisation of societies in the course of the centuries that preceded and led up to the ‘industrial age’ in Western Europe.

  • Edited by Bruno Blonde
  • Edited by Michele Galand
  • Edited by Eric Vanhaute