Poverty A History [Paperback]

Widely regarded as one of the classics of post-war historical writing, this book shows how central the role of poverty has been throughout the history of Europe.

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• A history of poverty in Europe covering over 1000 years.
  
• Translated into Italian, French, German, Spanish and Japanese.
  
• High profile author - a leading member of solidarity and professor at the College de France.

Foreword.

Introduction: What is Poverty?.

1. The Middle Ages: Charity and Salvation.

2. The Disintegration of Medieval Society.

3. Reformation and Repression: the 1520s.

4. The Reform of Charity.

5. Charitable Polemics: Local Politics and Reasons of State.

6. Prisons of Enlightenment.

7. Poverty and the Contemporary World.

Notes.

Bibliography.

Index.

A wise, distinguished medieval historian, veteran of Poland's own battles with poverty, here extends himself over a millennium and a continent to illuminate the constantly-changing social conditions, definitions, explanations, political measures, and charitable actions by which Europeans have generated, mitigated, and stigmatized material hardship. Charles Tilly <!--end-->

A serious, meticulously researched history, Geremek's is a fine account of a fascinating and perennially topical subject. Literary Review

Bronislaw Geremek was lecturer at the Sorbonne (1960-1965) were he also directed the Centre for Polish Civilization until 1966. In 1965 he was appointed head of the Research Unit on the History of Medieval Culture at the Polish Academy of Sciences. For the nexl#