Military System and Rural Social Change in Eighteenth-Century Hesse-Cassel

 

Military System and Rural Social Change in Eighteenth-Century Hesse-Cassel 

“Military System and Rural Social Change in Eighteenth-Century Hesse-Cassel” by Peter K. Taylor, published in the Journal of Social History (Vol. 25, No. 3, Spring 1992, pp. 479–504), examines the interaction between Hesse-Cassel’s militarized state and rural society during the 18th century. Taylor analyzes how the demands of recruitment, conscription, and military administration influenced village life, labor patterns, and social hierarchies, highlighting the economic and demographic impact of supplying soldiers for foreign service. Drawing on archival records, local accounts, and official correspondence, the article illustrates the interconnectedness of military obligations and rural social structures, showing how the army shaped daily life and how local communities adapted to the pressures of state militarization. The study provides a nuanced perspective on the social consequences of Hesse-Cassel’s role as a “soldier state” and the broader dynamics of military and civil interaction in early modern Europe.