Germany’s handicrafts and their institutional legacy highly influenced the social-economic development of their country. Their knowledge, know-how, and skills were important factors for Germany’s advancement to an economic powerhouse in the late nineteenth-century. But despite economic successes, an “anti-modern” attitude toward the new capitalist industry and its adherent working-class emerged during the last third of the nineteenth-century among the German artisans. This paper will show that the affiliation as well as the opposition of the German artisans toward other social and economic groups expressed a specific identity, both in social and economic terms. The core of the analysis will lay on the second half of the nine-teenth century and especially on the time period between the unification of Germany in 1871 and its short period of economic boom (Gründerzeit) and the end of the Great Depression in 1897. A subjective focus will reveal politically expressed differences in terms of values and preferences to the rising new economic order. Furthermore, it will be shown that the emerging working-class and their growing bond with journeymen compelled the economically prosper-ous artisans to reconsider their economic position within the German economy. Their redefinition as the Mittelstand was the answer to this development.
Table of Contents
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1. Introduction
2. The Artisan Identity and Industrialization
2.1 Class and Social Identity in the Nineteenth Century
2.2 The Impact of the Great Depression on Artisans
3. Economic Shifts and the Mittelstand Redefinition
3.1 Transformation of Craft and Labor Relations
3.2 Education as a Tool for Independence and Status
4. Conclusion and Social Outlook
Objectives and Themes
This paper examines how German artisans in the late nineteenth century navigated the pressures of industrialization and the rise of the working class by redefining their identity through an affiliation with the Mittelstand. The research focuses on the period between German unification in 1871 and the end of the Great Depression in 1897, analyzing how artisans sought to preserve their status through corporatist structures and education.
- The formation of artisan social and economic identity during the Industrial Revolution.
- The distinction between master artisans, journeymen, and the emerging industrial bourgeoisie.
- The impact of state-supported education and trade institutions (Gewerbevereine) on craft competitiveness.
- The ideological transition of artisans towards an anti-modernist and Mittelstand-oriented outlook.
Extract from the Book
An “Artisan Mittelstand”: How German artisans tried to preserve identity by identifying with the Mittelstand
Germany’s handicrafts and their institutional legacy highly influenced the social-economic development of their country. Their knowledge, know-how, and skills were important factors for Germany’s advancement to an economic powerhouse in the late nineteenth-century. But despite economic successes, an “anti-modern” attitude toward the new capitalist industry and its adherent working-class emerged during the last third of the nineteenth-century among the German artisans. This paper will show that the affiliation as well as the opposition of the German artisans toward other social and economic groups expressed a specific identity, both in social and economic terms.
The core of the analysis will lay on the second half of the nineteenth century and especially on the time period between the unification of Germany in 1871 and its short period of economic boom (Gründerzeit) and the end of the Great Depression in 1897. A subjective focus will reveal politically expressed differences in terms of values and preferences to the rising new economic order. Furthermore, it will be shown that the emerging working-class and their growing bond with journeymen compelled the economically prosperous artisans to reconsider their economic position within the German economy. Their redefinition as the Mittelstand was the answer to this development.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: Introduces the role of German handicrafts and the emergence of an "anti-modern" artisan sentiment amidst rapid industrialization.
2. The Artisan Identity and Industrialization: Discusses the structural impacts of the Great Depression and how master artisans differentiated themselves from both the factory working class and the bourgeoisie.
3. Economic Shifts and the Mittelstand Redefinition: Explores how artisans utilized education and corporatist associations to maintain status and adopt a Mittelstand identity.
4. Conclusion and Social Outlook: Summarizes how the desire for status and distance from the working class influenced artisan identity and their subsequent alignment with middle-class ideals.
Keywords
Artisans, Mittelstand, Industrialization, Handwerk, Craft, Identity, Great Depression, Bourgeoisie, Education, Gewerbevereine, Social class, Nineteenth century, Modernization, Labor relations, Germany.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the central focus of this research paper?
The paper focuses on the identity crisis faced by German artisans in the late 19th century as they struggled to maintain their social and economic status during the rise of industrial capitalism.
What are the primary themes discussed?
Key themes include the impact of industrialization on traditional crafts, the shift in social hierarchies, the importance of vocational education, and the ideological move toward a Mittelstand identity.
What is the main research objective?
The goal is to demonstrate how master artisans redefined themselves as part of the Mittelstand to protect their independence and distinguish their social standing from the emerging industrial working class.
Which scientific method is applied here?
The paper utilizes a historical-analytical approach, synthesizing contemporary accounts and sociological perspectives on social mobility and class formation in late 19th-century Germany.
What is covered in the main body of the text?
The body analyzes the division between master artisans and journeymen, the decline of the guilds, the role of education systems, and the artisans' adoption of bourgeois virtues to safeguard their honor and status.
Which keywords best characterize the work?
The core concepts are Artisans, Mittelstand, Industrialization, Craft identity, and 19th-century German socio-economic development.
What role did the Gewerbevereine play for the artisans?
These associations acted as corporatist structures that provided master artisans with institutional support, technical education, and an economic identity that helped them navigate the competitive industrialized market.
Why did artisans identify with the Mittelstand instead of the working class?
Artisans sought to maintain their independence and traditional status; by distancing themselves from the labor movement and aligning with the Mittelstand, they felt they could better preserve their values of family, property, and skill.
- Quote paper
- Bachelor of Arts Christopher Reichow (Author), 2011, An 'Artisan Mittelstand' - How German artisans tried to preserve their identity by identifying with the Mittelstand, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/179618
