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Politics : Sharks in the Septic Tank -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Constant Reader who wrote (38782)	11/26/2001 12:58:14 PM
From: The Philosopher	Respond to of 82486

I thought the middle class was still pretty insignificant at the time and that the great universities were established for the benefit of the upper classes. I thought they were established to perpetuate religion -- to educate the ministers and priests. My understanding was that heretics, agnostics, atheists, etc. need not apply.

To: Constant Reader who wrote (38782)	11/26/2001 1:06:38 PM
From: Neocon	Respond to of 82486

Well, from what I have read, it was mainly the upper middle class that took advantage of them. The upper classes (the aristocracy) were not terribly interested in learning or professions. For the most part, training at university had definite professional goals. There were medical schools and law schools, for example. People who took terminal degrees in philosophy (at the time the Master's) generally intended to teach, and those who took terminal degrees in theology might teach or serve in an expert capacity in Rome or a cathedral city. There were courses in canon law, and I believe the University of Naples was noted for its courses in becoming a notary public, at that time a rather important civil service position. Also, a lot of students were relatively poor, especially those who were in orders. The church was the great Leveler, allowing most classes an opportunity to take orders, and sending the more promising to school. Although many of these would finally become priests, some would never go beyond minor orders, and would end up as personal secretaries, schoolteachers, and the like.

To: Constant Reader who wrote (38782)	11/26/2001 1:40:58 PM
From: Neocon	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 82486

By the time of the rise of the great universities, quite a few cities and towns had developed. The burghers or the towns, largely the merchants, doctors, lawyers, major civil servants, master tradesmen, and the like, were the "haut bourgeoisie". Many priests and religious were drawn from that class, and even some prelates. Journeyman tradesmen, smaller shopkeepers, apothecaries, and so forth constituted the "petit bourgeoisie", and in some instances, they had a substantial voice in town politics. The also gave quite a few of their offspring to the Church, and often aspired to improve their lot. Journeyman usually succeeded as masters, with the approval of the guild; shopkeepers sometimes expanded; and apothecaries might hope to make doctors of their sons. The middle classes were small, but they were growing and increasingly influential.......