The Lower Class: The Popolo Minuto



The Lower Class: The Popolo Minuto

As a center for the European wool trade, the political power of the city rested primarily in the hands of the wealthy merchants who dominated the industry. These merchants built enormous mansions in the city, villas in the country, and contributed to the construction of grand cathedrals, spawning the physical rebirth of the city. A spirit of competition developed between the rich merchants, who often competed with each other to see who could make the best buildings and the finest works of art.

The popolo minuto or “little people” of Florence comprised more than one-half of the city’s population. They were poor, impotent and illiterate; they lived in misery and squalor. They obtained employment in Florence’s cloth industry and went hungry after the shops closed down in times of war, plague, or business depression. They were domestic servants, messengers, and peddlers. Criminals, vagabonds, and beggars formed in this group as a result of the social hierarchy (separation of classes where one class was more fortunate than another). Even slaves, who were employed primarily as domestic servants in wealthy households, enjoyed more security and a higher living standard than many of the popolo minuto who were legally free.

The attitude of the upper class toward the poor was distaste, disgust, and fear. Some left money in their wills to the poor because they felt it was their Christian duty, however, this was extremely rare. The popolo minuto had no voice in the government and any efforts to become more involved were brutally suppressed. Even in times of crisis, the voices of the poor were barely heard.

To carry out the construction of the great architectural works of the times, rich merchants hired the most talented artists and paid them well to do their most inspired work. In constant efforts to maintain their position of power, merchants attempted to marry into nobility, and sometimes more importantly, gain public favor and recognition. To this end, merchants became great patrons of the arts. However, the grand artistic endeavors of the wealthy merchants did not always serve to impress the public. Masses of lower middle-class and lower- class citizens worked long hours at unpleasant tasks in the shadow of the wealthy merchants

Humanism (the philosophy that people are rational beings) became quite popular during the Renaissance. The dignity and worth of the individual was emphasized. This new humanism also placed importance in the individual’s responsibilities of citizenship and leadership, including the participation in the political process in the community. But the popolo minuto were not happy and could not advance in society. There were few avenues to better one’s situation because the upper class feared the success of those below them.

................
................

In order to avoid copyright disputes, this page is only a partial summary.

Google Online Preview   Download