Evolution of the Wages System. 221 



develop which naturally became the centers of industry 

 and trade. With the growth of the towns, which became 

 quite pronounced by the middle of the eleventh century, 

 the social influences which had previously been confined to 

 the lords and their vassals began to operate among the 

 laboring classes. 



Through this concentration of population and industry 

 in the towns, several socializing influences began to 

 operate. In the first place, in their daily occupations, 

 domestic life and religious services, the laborers were con- 

 stantly forced into more frequent and varied social rela- 

 tions, and these naturally tended to create among them the 

 growth of new tastes and social habits. Under these 

 conditions the laborers not only became familiar with and 

 interested in each other, but they also acquired a more in- 

 timate acquaintance with and stronger desire for the use of 

 wealth. Although the towns, including the laborers, were 

 still the property of the barons, the new desires and wants 

 thus developed gradually took root, and bore fruit in the 

 character of the people, which finally became too strong 

 for either baron or king to resist. Indeed it was by the 

 character thus produced that the free cities were developed, 

 where the seed of industrial and political freedom was 

 planted which ultimately overthrew the feudal system and 

 laid the foundation for modern civilization. 



If time would permit, it would be interesting to follow 

 the struggles of the laboring classes from the ninth to the 

 fifteenth century, during which time they evolved from 

 serfs, the literal property of the baron, to wage receivers 

 with distinct industrial and social rights.* Suffice it to say 

 that despite all the efforts of the barons and kings to 

 oppress, plunder and enslave the laborers, before the middle 

 of the eleventh century they began to obtain charters 

 which not only gave them commercial privileges, but also 

 secured to them the right of electing their own magistrates, 

 judges, sheriffs, etc., and levying their own taxes. By 

 these charters, which became very numerous by the twelfth 

 century, the towns or free cities were practically trans- 

 formed into little Republics. As early as 1020, the city 

 of Leon received its municipal charter from Alfonzo V. of 

 Spain. The charter of the city of London was granted by 

 Henry I. in 1101, and those of Noyon, St. Quentin, Loan, 



* Principles of Social Economics, Part I., ch. v. 



