The Rules of the Gentleman

[Tobus]

I agree with most of what you say Tobus, but the class of gentleman who were landowners in early modern Europe (even allowing that some f their number may have been supercilious and arrogant) by and large had a sense of duty and obligation to the common weal or the general good of their society as well as a particular obligation to their tenants and/or economic and social dependents.

One would like to think so, but the sad fact of the matter is that their actions often ran counter to this. One needn't look much further than the Highland Clearances for examples. But then again, I'm sure there's an argument to be made that the clearances actually were in the best interest of the greater good (economically, at least). It's a subject I am fascinated by in my reading, though I admit that valid points are made on both sides.

[Peter Crowe]

One would like to think so, but the sad fact of the matter is that their actions often ran counter to this. One needn't look much further than the Highland Clearances for examples. But then again, I'm sure there's an argument to be made that the clearances actually were in the best interest of the greater good (economically, at least). It's a subject I am fascinated by in my reading, though I admit that valid points are made on both sides.

Ah, but we are perhaps understanding the early modern meaning of gentleman in different economic and social contexts. To confuse matters more, in the Scottish Highlands (especially prior to the 45), many Clansmen who were related to the House of their Chief and carried a sword were regarded in their rarified society as Hieland Chentlemen even though they were poor tenants or cattle drovers. Outside of that particular society they were regarded as presumptuous by Lowland Scots and English alike. The past is as full of ambiguities as the present.

As to the Clearances many of those landowners were 'grandees' or financial houses, of the traditional 'gentry' left many were already squeezed in the same process. The Highland Clearances were also post the 'Early Modern' period when the traditional land-owning definition of a 'gentleman' had already begun it's process of change.