Details
Publisher
Commons Press
Edition
1st
Year of publication
2023
Number of pages
93
Language
English
ISBN
978-1737481072
A Brief History of England
4.000 BC – Yesterday
England’s development from European backwater to world power was the product of its many revolutions. One of the most important of these produced the Forest Charter and its companion, the Magna Carta. Rights won in battle and recognized in these documents were the first steps in the farmers curbing the power of the elites and fighting their way out of serfdom. The creative genius of these now-free farmers produced the soaring increases in agricultural production that powered the rise of a merchant class, towns, manufacturing, trade, and England’s rise to world domination.
When farmers were victorious in their fight for greater freedom, whole civilizations advanced; when they were defeated, as in Germany, societies stagnated and collapsed into more centuries of feudalism and war. Looking at history from the perspective of the farmers and other working people allows us to understand why history took the course it did and better prepares us for battles that lie ahead.
This booklet is an excerpt from The Power of Peasants: Economics and Politics of Farming in Medieval Germany.
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Reviews (4)
FEATURED REVIEW
“In inviting prose with polemical power, Dees digs into greater detail to focus specifically on the Magna Carta and the Forest Charter, which, he argues, were the first documents to place the law above the king, granting the common people effective rights.…. Dees writes in a loose and humorous tone but with real passion and attention to detail…. Anyone interested in the economic story of England who wants to dive into the political conditions which led to dispossession and violence will appreciate Dees’s incisive, engaging, and pointedly outraged history.”
D. Donovan
Midwest Book Review
“The booklet’s lively reinterpretation of historical events will prove exciting and pointed to readers considering Europe ‘s foundation of economics, farming, and cultural shifts…. Extensive footnoted references in the Endnotes section and a supporting set of sources, paired with an index, reinforces the stand-alone nature of this important introduction. A Brief History of England is highly recommended for students of economics and European history who hold special and particular interest in agricultural developments and the political impact of farmer uprisings.”
Kirkus Reviews
“Readers will find this to be a perspective that deserves a rigorous hearing…. Dees’ work features many compelling suggestions…. An examination of economic evolution whose tone is more activist than academic.”
Michael Roberts Blog
“This is a highly entertaining robust account of invasions, wars, class rule and rebellions that is worth a read on its own account.”
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