Page:American Journal of Sociology Volume 5.djvu/755

 THE CITY IN HISTORY 739

prosperity. Constant consultation with, and in fact the active cooperation of the trade organizations was necessary to the efficient performance of this function. It is but natural that they should be called upon for advice in the solution of purely commercial questions, in much the same way as muni- cipal authorities call upon chambers of commerce at the present time. In the medieval city, moreover, municipal functions were almost exclusively concerned with questions of trade, commerce, and industry. With organizations so well equipped to deal with commercial questions as were the guilds, it was only a question of time when their advisory power would develop into real authority over this branch of municipal activity. The absorption of the most important public functions by the trade organizations gave them a strength of political power which resulted in the subservience of all other public authorities to their will. This shifting of public power com- pletely changed the character of the city government.

The consciousness of acquired power reacted upon the guilds, transforming them into aristocratic associations of the most pronounced type. The temptation to use this power to secure a monopolistic control over the trade and industry of the city was irresistible. Membership in one of the guilds was made a necessary prerequisite to the exercise of a trade. Thus a twofold incentive to withhold membership from newcomers was created : first, to prevent the overcrowding of trades ; and, secondly, to maintain the high value of guild membership. Thus the same economic forces which in the early history of the mediaeval towns were instrumental in creating a democratic society became destructive of this form as soon as the desire to retain exclusive possession of market and trade privileges began to show itself.

It was not long before the guild aristocracy degenerated into an oligarchy, due in part to exceptional power enjoyed by the leaders of the guilds, but mainly to the decreasing interest in town affairs incident to the expansion of commercial relations. As is the case with all associations of this character, the affairs of the guilds were carried on by a comparatively small number