History
The study of Theodore Rabb on “The Struggle for Stability in Early Modern Europe” continues to be the most important material that will help discern a general pattern to the history of the early modern period. This will include the regression of religion as a provocation of violence that emerged as one of the primary causes of the expanded emergence of stability in European affairs after the prolonged crisis of the protracted reformation era. According to Theodore Rabb, the instability and resolution that defined the crisis covering the period 1450-1789 has controlled the transformation of Europe in the 17th century.
The book of Rabb, “In The Struggle for Stability in Early Modern Europe” he was able to discuss in details the “crisis of authority” by presenting the historical crisis during the 16th century using a chronological analysis. In his book, he explained that when he reviewed the historical literature of Europe during the 17th century, he explained that the crisis originated from the government and the political set up of the country. Historians claimed that the crisis was perceived to cause a significant effect on the economy and demographics of the colonial system of Europe that subdued the domestic production. Aside from this, the revolts that took place in Western Europe during the middle of the16th century were primary centered on the government and political clash.
This was evidenced by the thesis formulated by Rabb that the crisis was a result of the political centralization and the allegiance of the nobility that controlled the government. In his book, Rabb used the words “stabilization” and “shift” to “crisis” as the proper terms to best describe the primary movements during the 17th century that defined the history in Europe. Rabb has mentioned that the crisis was a result of the political centralization, consolidation of the nobility’s supremacy, and the solidification of social, economic, and demographic patterns”.
It bears stressing that Rabb focused on “stabilization” which continued to become a significant event during the 17th century, which marked the start of a new beginning for Europe towards the middle of the century. It has transformed Europe to break the cultural perception which was a result of the violent and unstable crisis evinced by a new system of authority in the country. He continued to explain the concept of crisis is a precursor of that will later on result to relaxation. He maintained that the crisis is just a preliminary stage as seen by the events that transpired during the 15th and 16th centuries. He accounted that the transformation of Europe was a result of the development of international relations, discovery of religion, literature, philosophy, painting and arts, politics and economics. Rabb also explained that one of the factors which affected the crisis was due to the centralized aristocratic control and order. This was further explained by Rabb when he said that the perception of “both the rising fever and the final resolution of crisis is centered on the location of authority”. This was affirmed by the ruthless attempt of poets and politicians to dispose the ineffectual customs, tradition and disorder during the 16th century that led to the acceptance of unified aristocratic power and control.
Rabb continued with his discussion that the idea of crisis was caused by the revolts that occurred in the 1650 caused the series of structural problems within the composite of modern monarchies in the early modern Europe has created political instability. In addition, Rabb has regarded the crisis to refer as a disease that was inflicted to Europe that has the tendency to progress, which may cause the patient to recover from this condition or die. He finally identified seven developments which occurred during the 15th to 17th century that further aggravated the instable condition of Europe due to the “new monarchies” reflecting the administrative centralization and bureaucratization in the country; the new continent wide scale of international enemies; rapid population growth and inflation; Reformation; different views and intellectual challenges presented by the conflicting ideas of Machiavelli, Copernicus and Erasmus; subversion of the Renaissance period; and the disruption of the settled patterns of social relations that challenged the autonomy of the community by state and church authorities. The instability and uncertainty of the state continued to subsist until the middle of the 17th century revolts.
Just like to book of Castaglione entitled “The Book of the Courtier”, the courier was required to take the pains to earn that universal regard which everyone covers. Castiglione has considered the form of courtiership is the most appropriate attitude that must be learned by every gentleman living in the courts of the princes. It deliberately unifies the humanistic ideas and the traditional chivalric values.
Towards the last chapter of Rabb’s book has presented a more theoretical explanation regarding the transition of Europe beyond crisis. He explained that the widespread recognition of crisis can be attributed to the violence that that has pervaded the crisis period beforehand and emphasize on the brutality that took place during the Thirty Years’ War. The Thirty Years War was extremely intense and aggressive. It was the first war in European history that involved the use of European power. Some scholars have regarded that the war as merely a part of a larger and prolonged international conflicts that covered the French, Austrain, Spanish, Dutch, England and Poland-Lithuania. The Thirty Years War is misleading since it promotes and artificial time limit that led to a much protracted series of struggles over control of Europe itself. This was further affirmed in the statement of Rabb when he said that “It was war, above all, that encouraged such beliefs, which increased the commotions leading the members of the Establishment who have been committed to promote heroism and rewards of fighting, to contemplate of relaxation and peace as more desirable compared to anxiety and ambition”. In fact, this will tell the readers that Rabb has carefully analyzed the effects of the resolution of conflict and transformation of authority in Europe during the 17th century, but still he was not able to resolve the issue in spite of making the comparable assertions.
The Thirty Year War was clearly connected to the broader international scene which focused on the civil war. Some of the scholars believed that the war has entirely thrown out its domestic quality since there are several powerful princes that pursued to fight the emperor and a number of key problems remained unresolved. The political structure of the empire was hierarchal and regional but has blended well to ease the tension among the various parts to become a major contributing factor in the war. The interests and actions of the foreign powers have directly influenced the civil war in the empire. While the local estate pressed claims against the princes who argued that the sovereignty of the empire belonged to the community.
Even though the assumptions that were presented by Rabb that are supported by data and methodological evaluation, they remain to be imprecise that require deeper explanation. Rabb recognized that the tangible proof communal transformation that was evident during the period that resulted from the moment the crisis was finally resolved. However, the crisis may have lasted for a short and distinct period of time, the resolution runs over an interminable period of time. Rabb has expressly stated that “The change-over may be gradual. Despite the extensive time spans, there is distorting at the edges. However, the occurrence of latest situation is nonetheless apparent” .
Thus, even though it is discernible that Rabb provided resonant detailed comparisons involving the crisis and the proximate effects of the crisis which deal with the social and political relations of Europe, he was not able to demonstrate more particular evidence that will manifest the long-term stabilization of the 17th century authority. In addition, Rabb argued that “paucity of general, comparative studies of the decades around 17th century, during the new political situation, new cultural forms, and new social relationships that were joined together all over Europe”. However, despite Rabb’s assumptions, it is noticeable that he was not able to fill in the gap of early modern European transformation is undermined on the basis of the credibility and magnitude of his analysis.
The restricted post-crisis information which was the heart of his analytical technique is doubted because the emphasized on the substance of the European crisis resolution in the 17th century that is centered on the magnitude of behavioral modifications or “change in perception.” Clearly, Rabb’s statement can be quoted as “the determination of a century and a half of uncertainty and pressure does not signify that the shape of a lengthy developing political structure that need revolution, but a specific motion will be able to reversed it. Thus, it simply put, the particular form stating that political system later on assumed is not as important since the fact remains that it appears to have been settled at present time. The distinguishing factor from its pre-resolution embodiment is it was finally liberated from grave threats of major transformation that lasted for one century”.
It is noteworthy to mention that Rabb was not able to mention the close examination of communal perception of security that needed the discussion of expanded pre-crisis information and post-crisis data that was missing in his analysis. Such hollowness overlooks the significance of the structural transformation of authority that impressed on monarchies that are as disparate when compared to international relations to academic convention. The explanation for this is that religion was distinct and separate from political power. Rabb should be taken into consideration the factors that may have affected the modifications made on the system of control of the European society by making an assessment of the tradition to incorporate a more cogent analysis of the period in history.
References
Castiglione, Baldesar. The Book of the Courtier. Dover Edition. New York: Dover, 2003.
Helfferich, Tryntje. The Thirty Years War. Indianapolis: Hackett Publishing, 2009. Print.
Rabb, Theodore K. The struggle for stability in early modern Europe. Oxford: Oxford
