trade guilds
Medieval craft organizations
Trade guilds were medieval associations of craftsmen or merchants in the same trade, formed to regulate standards, prices, and membership.
A guild controlled who could practice a craft, how apprentices were trained, and what quality of goods could be sold.
The term now applies loosely to any professional association that sets standards for its members: The writers' guild negotiated better contracts.
- merchantsThose who conduct commerce
- medieval guildsCraftsmen's professional associations
- goldsmithsCraftspeople working precious metal
- journeymanQualified trade worker
- master craftsmanExpert in skilled trade
stonecutters · livery companies · artisan · skilled trades · bylaws · craftsmanship · apprenticeship · merchant guilds · guildmaster · freemen · sworn brothers · quality control · masterpiece · market regulation · professional associations · charter · monopoly · closed shop
- societiescivilization, secret societies, nation, literary societies, tribal society
- medieval economyfiefs, manors, serfs, vassals, lords
- trade historycommerce, merchant, traders, colonial economy, trader
- ancient tradeSilk Road, caravan routes, sea routes, river routes, maritime routes
- craft guildsguilds, artisan guilds, craft unions
- guildscraft guilds, guildhall, guildhalls, guildmaster, merchant guilds
trade guildsfree markets
Commerce without state intervention
open competition · free enterprise · competitive markets · free trade · deregulation
trade guildswage labor
Work exchanged for payment
factory system · industrial workforce · gig economy · at-will employment · proletariat
trade guildsindustrial capitalism
Factory-based profit-driven economy
mass production · Industrial Revolution · factory production · factory system · Fordism