Gender, Nature, and the Transition to Capitalism in Europe

These flashcards cover key terms related to the intersection of gender, nature, and economic transformation during the transition from feudalism to capitalism.

Feudalism

A social system prevalent in Europe during the Middle Ages where peasants worked land owned by nobles in exchange for protection.

Enclosure Movement

The process of taking over common lands essential for peasant survival, leading to their disconnection from the environment.

Black Death

A pandemic that significantly reduced the population in Europe, resulting in improved living conditions for the surviving peasants.

Patriarchal Control

Systemic dominance over women's bodies and roles in society, reinforced during the transition to capitalism.

Proletarianization

The process by which individuals are transformed into wage laborers within a capitalist economy.

Witch Hunts

State-sanctioned persecutions aimed at women and LGBTQ+ individuals, attributing their connection to nature as a threat to capitalism.

Primitive Accumulation

The accumulation of capital through dispossession, often linked to the Enclosure Movement and colonial practices.

Real Wages

Wages adjusted for inflation; during the transition to capitalism, these saw a significant decline compared to rising food prices.

Gender Dynamics

The changing roles and expectations of genders, particularly how women's roles became dependent as capitalism matured.

Environmental Imaginaries

Conceptual frameworks regarding nature, which shifted during capitalism, often promoting exploitation and violence against dissenters.