Corporate Exercise and the Borders of Privilege: The Trades of Paris in the Seventeenth and Eighteenth Centuries

The efficacy of privilege under the Old Regime, especially as concerning economy, is an oft-repeated postulate historiography. contexts in which it was used often came activities law or police, and guilds far from being any exception. There were many struggles activating these privileges, due to their near-permanent disputation, a disputation constituted very heart viability corporatism. This why we must investigate application privileges. At same time, without renouncing idea real efficacy, displace them own margins, borders. outer limits, privileges stood opposition other trades, thus excluded such sector sale manufacture. did not result norms qualities finite set merchandise commercial positions. Rather, trade mainly aimed at precluding others qualities, postures. Privilege also served blur indeterminate lines demarcation those elements with regards holder said privilege. Thus, look this border site social connection, where professional identities individual careers continually brought into play, where, especially, between merchant/craftsman categories constantly shifting.