"The General Crisis Of The Seventeenth Century" And The Western Social Transformation

The Problem of western social transformation is always a hot topic of groves of Academe. However, the Seventeenth Century is always a weak link of the research. Before the middle period of twentieth Century, it has not been systematic, comprehensive and deeply research to the history of seventeenth century. From the middle period of twentieth Century, this state greatly changed because of the development and change of the western historiography. The groves of western Academe have carried on systematic research to the history of seventeenth Century around the problem of 'the general crisis of the seventeenth century'. And a large amount of academic research results emerged from the research. The groves of western Academe focused on four questions and launched the fierce controversy: whether 'the general crisis of the seventeenth century' exist; if exist, what is its nature; the definition of the concept of 'crisis' and the time of its start and end; the reasons of 'the general crisis of the seventeenth century' broke out. I think that the development and change of western historiography was closely related to the problem of 'the general crisis of the seventeenth century'. It has showed the progress of the development and change of western history from a special academic aspect since 1950s. It is the result and reflection of pluralistic view of historiography; it is the result and reflection of diversification of historical research approach; it is the result and reflection of expansion of field of vision of historical research. Also, groves of Academe of our country can draw a very important enlightenment from the research. In sum, the dispute of the hypothesis of 'the general crisis of the seventeenth century' by the groves of western Academe had scored great successes. However, there are still a lot of questions that is worth studying. This has left wide thinking and tries space for us.