What is meant by the term craft?
This does not include all, but many commercial activities that either manufacture products (e.g. furniture) or perform services for your customers (e.g. as a painter, varnisher, roofer).
The craft today
Furniture production by joiners / joiners is now often being replaced by industrial production. Thanks to the automated production, large quantities of standardized furniture parts can be produced in a very short time. This results in a much greater productivity than with one-off production. Nevertheless, carpenters / joiners can also make creative individual pieces with special dimensions, which would not be possible with mass production.
Fortunately, the trades concerned can fall back on modern technology in order to practice today’s craft trades. They have chainsaws, concrete mixers, cordless drills or the like at their disposal.
Which craftsman in antiquity would have ever dreamed that his colleagues would someday with a TIG welding machine would work?
The handicraft in antiquity
The ancient cultures (Egyptians, Romans, Greeks) already had excellent craftsmen. This can also be seen in the buildings or roads that they left us. In addition to building craftsmen, the profession of brewer or winemaker is often overlooked, because even then it was already popular to consume beer and wine. But of course there were also stonemasons, basket makers, millers and bricklayers in those days.
Incidentally, blacksmiths are among the oldest craftsmen in the world, because metal processing, which initially referred to bronze or copper, existed in Egypt over 5000 years ago. The processing of iron was added later (around 1200 BC)
However, the craftsmen were not always respected equally. This was primarily due to the fact that the strenuous work was not exactly beneficial to one’s health. Therefore, craftsmen could not be used for military service, for example. In addition, tradespeople, then as now, are also dependent on their potential customers. Such skeptical comments on the craftsmen were already mentioned by Plato or Aristotle in their traditional works.
The handicraft in the Middle Ages
During the early Middle Ages there were mainly farmers who only made things for their own use. Therefore, the craft was limited to the processing of grain, vegetables, fruit or meat as well as the manufacture of clothing. And it goes without saying that equipment such as plows or domestic furniture made of wood had to be maintained or manufactured in-house. All of this was only intended for personal use.
The special activities did not emerge until the High Middle Ages, when blacksmiths, potters or tin foundries and other craftsmen specialized in one area and offered the goods on the market. From then on it gradually became possible to be trained in a profession. For the apprentices, however, it was important to come from a wealthy family and to be born a legitimate child.
The apprentice (apprentice) received no training salary, but had to pay for his training. In return he got free board and lodging. After training with the master, he was able to train as a journeyman and later become a master himself.
Guilds and guilds
Guilds were the name given to the associations of merchants or traveling traders. They offered each other protection and support. The most famous example of this is the Hanseatic League, of which the “Hanseatic City of Hamburg”, for example, still reminds us today. Sometimes the term guild was also used for craftsmen, although they had their own associations called guilds.
Guilds were formed by craftsmen in the Middle Ages to support and protect one another. Sometimes guilds could also accept members from different professions. They had their own coat of arms and clothes. They also created guild regulations.
Even women could be accepted into guilds. From the 17th century, however, the opportunities for women were limited to a few professions such as silk weavers and gold spinners.
Even today there are such voluntary associations that replaced the guilds and guilds. The modern advocacy groups offer help not only for their members, but also for consumers.
The early modern era brought new regulations
From the 16th century onwards, young boys chose an education according to their social class. They completed a set apprenticeship period and trained as traveling journeyman. As a result, local work techniques spread to other regions. Now other new trades also flourished, such as book printing.
Although this was an advantage from today’s perspective, since the diversity and thorough training guaranteed a well-covered range of services and good quality, there were also critical voices.
Because of all things the Scottish economist Adam Smith (1723-1790) questioned this better quality. He also feared that the long duration would also slow down the apprentice’s diligence. The Swiss economist Christoph Bernoulli (1782-1863) also pleaded in his writings for the abolition of restrictive guild regulations.
Examples of guilds
The old guilds included, for example:
- baker
- roofer
- Fisherman
- Tanner
- Furrier
- painter
- Bricklayer
- Butcher
- Müller
- Saddler
- Blacksmith
- cutter
- Shoemaker
- Clothier
- Weber
- Carpenter
Craft and industrialization
After the French Revolution there were various changes in the craft. With the onset of industrialization, everyone could now – regardless of their social status – take up a profession. Later there was general freedom of trade and the introduction of the Crafts Code, in which all non-licensed, licensed and craft-like trades are specified.
The structure of the old trades collapsed through industrialization. Goods were now produced mechanically using “modern” technology or imported from abroad. Both threatened the regional craftsmen with their slower production possibilities, which could deliver less goods and much later.
Today, although not the pure handicraft companies, they are companies of a region instead of a guild, guild or guild as a corporation under public law organized.
11/27/2020