Guilds in the Middle Ages

"Guilds in the Middle Ages" by Georges François Renard is a historical study about the important role of guilds during the Middle Ages. The book looks at how guilds worked as economic and social groups. It explains that they were important to the industrial economy of the time. The guilds controlled themselves but were also affected by local and national governments. The book also talks about the different ideas about where guilds came from, focusing on whether guilds grew out of old groups or were brand new for craftsmen to protect and help each other. This sets up a study of how guilds were structured and what they did for society, showing their important part in medieval economic history.