Early Democracies in the Low Countries: Urban Society and Political Conflict in the Middle Ages and the Renaissance

I am a fan of Henri Pirenne and his style. He says what he thinks and works to support it. This book is no different. He takes an economic view of Flanders in the mid-ages and discusses the development of trade and the need that came from it for a new system to deal with new issues. Here, in Locke's terms is probably a State of Nature and men contract to give certain rights in return for others. He then discusses the evolution of government and law over the next centuries as well as the misuse of democracy by the interest groups involved. In reading it I could not help but think of authors I read such as Locke, Smith and Marx and saw this as an historical context that helps explain some of their thoughts. I recommend this book.