Feb 6, 2014, 5:49:09 PM2/6/14
1) I don't know where precisely I read this but does anyone
know of sources which point out how cities were meant to be
a refuge for those who did not win a contest over arable,
I recall reading somewhere that the younger children of a
landholding family could either migrate to colonize some
other part of the world (and since majority of them did not
have the resources to be so mobile) or they could move to
the city to become artisans and merchants.
I found some bits of it in Smith:
"... the proprietors of land seem generally to have lived
in fortified castles on their own estates, and in the midst
of their own tenants and dependents. The towns were chiefly
inhabited by tradesmen and mechanics, who seem, in those
days, to have been of servile, or very nearly of servile
condition." Adam Smith, Wealth of Nations, Of the Rise and
Progress of Cities and Towns after the Fall of the Roman
Empire, Book III Chapter III Part III
but this I know is not what I read and not what I am
referring to. I am not that well read so I don't know why
I have difficulty recalling the text where I read this.
2) I am also looking for an etext of Walter Laqueur's
History of Zionism so I can look up a passage which talks
about attitudes towards city Jews and country Jews. The
book talks about how city Jews were considered more
sophisticated and the country Jews were not looked upon
kindly. There is a reference in the book about plays and
literature that lampooned the rural Jewish population.
Does anyone recall how I can retrieve that passage from
this rather large tome (since it is unfortunately not
searchable and google books is not very helpful I am afraid
due to its snippets etc.).
Thanks in advance to everyone...