Chapter 147: Great Works on Sociology

Anyone who engages in technical work other than farming is called an artisan.

Among the commoners, those who rely on their skills to run their own shops can be called craftsmen. Therefore, most craftsmen are freemen, while most artisans are serfs.

In Liszt's understanding, if these people were given some time to develop and operate independently, they would become the bourgeoisie. However, through his understanding of the society in this world, it was currently impossible for artisans to evolve into capitalists, as the nobles would not allow it.

If we refer to medieval Europe on Earth.

Craftsmen who control the means of production, along with the progress of the Industrial Revolution, either accumulate production materials and evolve into capitalists, or lose their production materials and become workers.

Here, artisans have existed for a very long time, yet they remain artisans.

There are no capitalists, nor large numbers of workers. No matter how much they develop, they remain vassals of the nobles—due to the absolute disparity in individual strength from cultivating aura, the noble knights can firmly grasp all power without fearing revolution by a new class.

Of course, the development of the artisan class varies somewhat between different nations and cities.

There are no fixed hierarchical divisions.

Liszt summarized it simply:

Artisans can roughly be divided into four levels: "Master," "Master Craftsman," "Artisan," and "Worker."

Master Craftsman—Technician, Master.

Artisans at this level generally reside in large cities. They are freemen with high status and identity, reaching the level of minor nobility.

For example, architects, shipbuilders, cartwrights, goldsmiths, jewel masters, blacksmiths, well-drillers, etc., are top-tier artisans in their respective fields.

Architects build castles, large buildings, and mage towers; shipbuilders design and construct ships; cartwrights produce carriages, mine carts, and war chariots; goldsmiths craft gold coins, silver coins, copper coins, and even dragon coins; jewel masters design precious jewelry, carve crystals, jade, and even gems.

Blacksmiths can manufacture various fine equipment, and well-drillers can excavate mines.

On Coral Island, there are only architects, shipbuilders, cartwrights, and blacksmiths, but no goldsmiths, jewel masters, or well-drillers.

Artisan—Craftsman.

Artisans at this level form the backbone of the artisan class and are the basic stratum in major cities, filling various industries. They are the foundation of urban and territorial prosperity, and most are freemen who can choose to run shops or sell their skills.

Masons, carpenters, blacksmiths, leatherworkers, and tailors are the five most basic professions among craftsmen and also the most numerous.

Masons build structures, carpenters produce furniture, blacksmiths forge tools, leatherworkers tan leather goods, and tailors make clothes.

Additionally, bone workers, papermakers (thick parchment), locksmiths, shoemakers, cooperage makers, crystal craftsmen, jewel craftsmen, gem craftsmen, jade craftsmen, soap makers, brewers, bakers, barbers, chefs, sugar makers, spice masters, and salt makers are also at the craftsman level.

Worker—Laborer.

Artisans at this level are also the backbone of the artisan class but exist on a large scale within the lord's manor. Most are serfs, hardly different from farmers, except that they perform slightly more skilled work.

Embroiderers, spinners, dyers, salt workers, sugar workers, millers, miners, sailors, boatmen, and general laborers are all workers.

Moreover, innkeepers, small merchants, grocery store owners, horse traders, and other merchants do not possess artisan skills but are responsible for the circulation of artisan products. Their status is generally equivalent to that of craftsmen, i.e., ordinary freemen.

Finally,

Master—Grandmaster.

This level is not considered artisans but rather artists.

Novelists, bards, pianists, painters, court musicians, sculptors, singers, etc.,

Most of them belong to the noble class, lacking hereditary titles, so they develop their artistic talents, moving among the nobles and enjoying a high-quality life. If we must further define, mages who can create magic equipment and "iron knights" who forge various weapons could also be considered artisans.

However, they either operate outside the system or are nobles themselves.

"There are no technicians, few craftsmen, mostly just workers. It feels like I've spent my money unwisely."

Looking at the list of thick parchment in his hand, Liszt couldn't help feeling regretful. What he wanted were craftsmen, but most of the serfs he bought were workers.

Clearly, these artisans were the leftovers, or perhaps Levis' subordinates only wanted to buy cheap artisans—serfs. In the slave trade, the price of a craftsman is obviously higher than that of a worker, let alone a technician. No one would sell technicians, craftsmen, and workers or farmers at the same price.

"In any case, having a batch of skilled workers can barely add a few industries to Flower Town... I can produce sugar, soap, weave cloth, extract salt from seawater, make paper using primitive methods, or develop other industries," Liszt consoled himself. Skilled workers still hold considerable value.

He asked Thomas to bring him a quill pen, ink, and blank thick parchment and began writing and drawing.

He planned to figure out how many industries these artisans could develop and how many workshops they could add to the town's Workshop Area. However, as he wrote, he delved into studying social systems.

"If I wanted to, I could become a sociologist!"

He categorized the social system of this world.

Upper class—Noble lords.

Upper-middle class—Truth-seeking mages, officials without titles, knights, and indispensable artists.

Middle-middle class—Technicians with irreplaceable skills, mercenaries serving as fallen knights.

Lower-middle class—Servants in castles, craftsmen producing technology, merchants facilitating commerce, workers serving as laborers, and rats lurking in the shadows.

Lower class—Farmers, beggars who aren't even serfs.

"Very clear and straightforward." He took a big bite of demon beast meat, chewing and swallowing it. "If I could further elaborate on the responsibilities each social class bears in society and the fluidity of the classes, I could probably write a monumental work on sociology and publish it."

It was just an idea. He hadn't reached the point where he needed to earn a living by writing books—that was something destitute noble offspring did.

Besides, sociological works don't sell.

To write books, one should write knightly novels.

They should involve slaying dragons and making pacts with elf kings.

The protagonist should ideally be a fallen prince, wandering the seas with a small fairy and spending a romantic night with a song siren. He then passes through the Marquis’s manor for a dalliance with a noblewoman for a few days, before single-handedly slaying an evil dragon, or perhaps riding a dragon while the small fairy ascends to become a fairy king.

In the end, the hero rescues the maiden and marries a beautiful princess who is blessed by a unicorn.

With these elements, it would essentially be a best-selling knightly novel, and young people who love fantasy would be more than willing to pay for it.

After breakfast,

Liszt put away the thick parchment he had been writing on and looked out the window at the already high sun: "When Glanny arrives, perhaps I can discuss sociology with him."