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British Clubs and Societies 1580-1800: The Origins of an Associational World
This book provides the first account of the rise of these most distinctive, widespread and powerful of social institutions in Georgian Britain. With roots in the early modern era, British clubs and societies swept the country by 1800, when they numbered in the thousands, and their influence continues today. Looking at the complex mosaic of clubs and societies, ranging from freemasonry to bird-fancying, the author considers the reasons for their successful development, their export to America and the colonies, and their impact on British Society.
- GenresHistoryNonfiction
544 pages, Paperback
First published January 6, 2000
19 people want to read
About the author
Peter Clark
26 books1 followerLibrarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads database.
Peter Clark is Professor of European Urban History at the University of Helsinki. Educated at Oxford, he was previously professor at the University of Leicester, where he was Director of the Centre for Urban History. In 1989 he helped found the European Association for Urban History.
He has published or edited over 20 books on urban, social, cultural and environmental history. In 2010 he received an honorary degree from Stockholm University.
Peter Clark is Professor of European Urban History at the University of Helsinki. Educated at Oxford, he was previously professor at the University of Leicester, where he was Director of the Centre for Urban History. In 1989 he helped found the European Association for Urban History.
He has published or edited over 20 books on urban, social, cultural and environmental history. In 2010 he received an honorary degree from Stockholm University.
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August 26, 2017
Peter Clark is (mainly) a scholar of British towns and cities. This is why he came to study clubs and societies; whose emergence/existence is in fact a function of density. An urban phenomenon.
They have their root in medieval fraternities, protestant sects, and guilds. Spreading from London, they were made possible by the especially favourable economic, cultural, and societal conditions in early modern Britain. Conditions that were not met in Germany, France, or Italy - especially due to governmental repression. Thus Clark argues that limited government and free press are also a necessary condition. The latter existed in Britain from the 1690's on when censorship was abandoned.
He relates his narrative to the arguments in the landmark study from Putnam (1993) on civic societies in Italy.
In the conclusion he briefly covers the timespan beyond the scope of the book until the 20th century.
They have their root in medieval fraternities, protestant sects, and guilds. Spreading from London, they were made possible by the especially favourable economic, cultural, and societal conditions in early modern Britain. Conditions that were not met in Germany, France, or Italy - especially due to governmental repression. Thus Clark argues that limited government and free press are also a necessary condition. The latter existed in Britain from the 1690's on when censorship was abandoned.
He relates his narrative to the arguments in the landmark study from Putnam (1993) on civic societies in Italy.
In the conclusion he briefly covers the timespan beyond the scope of the book until the 20th century.
Displaying 1 of 1 review