浅论英国“农业革命”中贵族乡绅的历史定位

The Survey on Peer-Gentry's Historical Orientation in the Course of England's Agricultural Revolution

近年来,国内史学界已日益意识到自近代以来英国所经历的一场"农业革命"对英国工业化和现代化进程的重大意义。文章着眼点在于从生产力变革和土地所有权转变两个层面来还原近代英国农业革命的历史真实面貌,以此来揭示英国社会上层"贵族乡绅"在农业的现代化过程中所扮演的历史角色,以及由此而发生的社会精神价值观念的巨大变化,这一切都为英国现代化的启动奠定了充分的精神和文化准备。若没有这种精神价值的转变,那么英国现代化的启动和进行将很难得以合理的解释。

In recent years, historians in academic circle have increasingly realized the significance of Agricultural Revolution that England experienced for industrialization and modernization. The paper will focus on the real historical appearances for Agricultural Revolution from the perspectives of productive force and production relation, then reveal historical roles that England ＇s social upper Peer Gentry played in the course of Agricultural modernization and the great changes of social spiritual values brought about by the historic shift. All these laid a full spiritual and cultural preparation for the start of modernization in England. Without the shift of mental values and cultural ideas, it would be hard to give a reasonable explanation for England＇s starting of modernization.