On The 16th And 17th Century British Board Of Trade

As one of the important economic organizations of Western European society,the Company played a very important role in British city economic life during the late Medieval times and The Modern Times. Since the second half of the14th century,with the development of commercial economy and the appearance of Capitalist production relations, the craft guilds continued to develope, what’s more, by combination and differentiation, it formed a larger organization——the Company. It adapted to the level of productivity, and to a certain extent, protected and developed the green shoots of capitalist production relations. This article will discuss the Guilds from the four parts.The first part,explaining the Guilds to the Company.One is discussing the British society commodity market development during the16th and17th century; In order to meet the needs of economic development, the craft guilds changed,so another is to find something about the craft guilds to the larger organization——the Company, such as, its ways and time.The second part is discussing its production attribute of the industry and commerce guilds. This section mainly concentrate on the generation of the capitalist mode of production, and find the impact of guilds and the influence to the internal organization production methods. In my opinion, the original mixed production line, the master-laborer-apprentice system has been changed,it became that the "great master", merchant capitalists and small master controlled the production together.The third part is discussing about the internal organization structure in guilds. In this section, introducing the change of hierarchy and the function is very pivotal, besides,I have to emphasize that the power of merchants has been grown and the commercial guilds have grown from strength to strength too.The forth part is talking about guild’s historical position.This section will be divide into two major aspects, one is its positive influence on British city economic; another is to explore its social limitations.I will approach it from the technical innovation and inheritance and the limitation of the guilds members rights.In the end, The article briefly summarizes in this review, points out trade association’s natural attribute and its declining historical destiny.