Analysis Of Western European Medieval Monastic Economy

As a part of the Christianity, the monasteries have made an important contribution to the medieval civilization. In the middle ages, the monasteries are not only a religious groupe, but also a economic organization after the gifts from people. As a economical carrier,the monastery was a collection of property,resources,labor, which income contained all kinds of donations and earnings, including kings,nobles and human beings. Therefore, the monastery economic came into the western Europe during the middle age. Through many kinds of ways, monastery had its own religious institutions and systems.Needless to say, it played an important role that other organizations could not do. As a result, reviewing the function of monastery in western European society, which not only made us deeply understand monastery but also helped us comprehend the characteristics of times and society of western Europe in the middle Age. Except for the preface and epilogue, whole thesis was divided into three parts to discuss. After the invasion of Germanic, the former economic system had been ruined, no coins, no trade, thus the natural economy formed. Though the long distance trade continued, it played a tiny role. At this time, the monasteries inflected the society, they followed the Benidict rule and advocate cultivation, especially the Movement of Colonization.It is under such circumstances that the monastery's markets emerge. No taxes, no tolls, the monasteries are fond of seeking privileges. Under these privileges,the monasteries have a great advantage of selling wine, wool and salt, which exasperate the common merchant. During the course of selling, the monasteries found a new way to stimulate the market, that is pilgrimage, which expand the long distance route.In conclusion, the monasteries not only played important roles in politics, economy and cultural, but also had many cultural functions in the Middle Age. More important, they were cultural centers of that time.