A Millenium of Family Change: Feudalism to Capitalism in Northwestern Europe

by Wally Seccombe

How do changes in family form relate to changes in society as a whole? In a work which combines theoretical rigour with historical scope, Wally Seccombe provides a powerful study of the changing structure of families from the Middle Ages to the beginning of the Industrial Revolution. Responding to feminist critiques of ‘sex-blind’ historical materialism, Seccombe argues that family forms must be seen to be at the heart of modes of production. He takes issue with the mainstream consensus in family history which argues that capitalism did not fundamentally alter the structure of the nuclear family, and makes a controversial intervention in the long-standing debate over European marriage patterns and their relation to industrialization. Drawing on an astonishing range of studies in family history, historical demography and economic history, A Millennium of Family Change provides an integrated overview of the long transition from feudalism to capitalism, illuminating the far-reaching changes in familial relations from peasant subsistence to the making of the modern working class.

Genres: History, Sociology, Nonfiction

350 pages, Hardcover

First published March 17, 1992

Reviews

[Ira Therebel · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a study analyzing how the change in family structures is related to the change in society and it's economic environment. The author goes from the middle ages to the industrial revolution listing different aspects of family life at the point and connecting it to the society as a whole.

A pretty interesting book for everyone interested in the topic of family and social studies in general. A bit hard to read because it is very dry, took me way longer to finish than I expected, but the amount of information and good logical view make it still worth reading. A lot of information, hope I will be able to remember some of it.

[Durakov · Rating 5 out of 5]

A little dry and I had to look up a lot of medieval terminology, but this dramatically increased and complicated my understanding of proletarianization and the family.