One of the probably most influential attempts to bridge this paradox is the industrious revolution theory, presented by Jan de Vries (2008). Inspired by probate inventory evidence from the Frisian countryside, the theory appears to hold for the relatively highly urban northwest-European economic core regions of southern England and the Low Countries (van Nederveen Meerkerk 2008; Malanima & Pinchera 2012); regions with early developed urban economies and easy access to new, imported consumer goods (McCants 2008). It has however not been accepted without critique, especially when applied on the more rural European peripheries (Ogilvie 2010, Hutchison 2014, Allen & Weisdorf 2011; Horrel, Humphries, & Weisdorf 2021; Malanima & Pinchera 2012; Gary & Olsson 2020). Nor does a consensus exist about the significance of the triangle industriousness-living standards-consumer patterns, as regional evolutions could be profoundly different. Whereas several studies have provided evidence for an increase of number of days worked per year using a variety of methods (e. g., Dribe and van der Putte 2012, Humphries and Weisdorf 2019, Jensen et al. 2019), some authors suggest that an increase in industriousness mere compensated for a decline in wages and did not enable households to benefit from an increased variety in the supply of consumer goods. Moreover regional variations in material living standards do not simply mirror differences in the degree of commercialization of the rural economy, as suggested by De Vries (Blondé, Lambrecht, Ryckbosch & Vermoesen 2019; Poukens 2012). Finally, social variations in the acceptance of ‘new’ consumer patterns have been discovered: in some cases changes were clearly introduced at the top (or in the city) before trickling down to the less privileged, but in other cases the relationship between wealth and material culture was more complex, with for instance rural middling groups taking the lead in diversifying their material goods. Such complexities and conundrums invite us to critically re-assess the role of material culture and (auto-)consumption as (in)dependent variables on the eighteenth-century countryside. In a similar vein, the non-monetary components of living standards call for greater attention and cross-country-comparisons that eventually can lead to a re-assessment of living standards as well (Muldrew 2011).

To this end, an international workshop is organized at the University of Antwerp. We will welcome research papers that offer new empirical evidence, prove methodologically innovative, and/or offer fresh interpretations. Our focus is on the development of the less researched European periphery, next to new research on the core regions of southern England and the Low Countries, as well as any areas outside of Europe. We especially extend an invitation to researchers and PhD candidates interested in early modern rural living standards and economic development.

Keynote lecture: Craig Muldrew (University of Cambridge)

Scientific committee: Christine Fertig (Universität Münster), Janine Maegraith (Universität Wien), Ulrich Pfister (Universität Münster), Johan Poukens (State Archives Belgium & University of Antwerp), Tim Soens (University of Antwerp).

If you are interested in participating, we invite you to send a 300 to 500-word abstract with your affiliation, a short CV and contact details to Kim.Overlaet@uantwerpen.be. The deadline for submission is September 15th 2023. For more information on the workshop, please contact Henning.Bovenkerk@uantwerpen.be