Norbert Elias

THE CIVILIZING PROCESS

Sociogenetic and Psychogenetic
Investigations

translated by Edmund Jephcott

with some notes and corrections by the author

Revised Edition
edited by
Uric Dunning, Johan Goudsblom and Stephen Mennell

Blackwell
Publishing

Contents

Preface
Acknowledgements to the English Translation
Editors' Note to the Revised Translation

ix
xvi
xvii

VOLUME I: CHANGES IN THE BEHAVIOUR OF

THE SECULAR UPPER CLASSES IN THE WEST

PART ONE
ON THE SOCIOGENESIS OF THE CONCEPTS OF
"CIVILIZATION" AND "CULTURE*

1 Sociogenesis of the Antithesis between Kultur and Zivilisation

in German Usage
5
I
Introduction
5
II The Development of the Antithesis between Kultur and Zivilisation 9
III Examples of Courtly Attitudes in Germany
11
IV The Middle Class and the Court Nobility in Germany
15
V Literary Examples of the Relationship of the German
Middle-Class Intelligentsia to the Court
20
VI The Recession of the Social Element and the Advance of the
National Element in the Antithesis between Kultur and
Zivilisation
26

vi
2

The Civilizing Process

Sociogenesis of the Concept of Civilisation in France
I
Introduction
II Sociogenesis of Physiocratism and the French Reform Movement

PART TWO
CIVILIZATION AS A SPECIFIC TRANSFORMATION
OF HUMAN BEHAVIOUR
I
II
III
IV

The History of the Concept of Civilit

On Medieval Manners
The Problem of the Change in Behaviour during the Renaissance
On Behaviour at Table
Examples
(a) Representing upper-class behaviour in fairly pure form
(b) From books addressed to wider bourgeois strata
Comments on the Quotations on Table Manners
Group 1: An Overview of the Societies to which the Texts
were Addressed
Excursus on the Rise and Decline of the Concepts
of Courtoisie and Civilit
A Review of the Curve Marking the "Civilizing"
of Eating Habits
Excursus on the Modelling of Speech at Court
Reasons Given by People for Distinguishing
between "Good" and "Bad" Behaviour
Group 2: On the Eating of Meat
Use of the Knife at Table
On the Use of the Fork at Table
V
Changes in Attitudes towards the Natural Functions
Examples
Some Remarks on the Examples and on these Changes in
General
VI
On Blowing Ones Nose
Examples
Comments on the Quotations on Nose-Blowing
VII On Spitting
Examples
Comments on the Quotations on Spitting
VIII On Behaviour in the Bedroom
Examples
Comments on the Examples

31
31
35

45
47
52
60
72
72
72
80
85
85
^7
89
92
97
99
103
17
19
109
114
121
121
126
129
129
132
136
I36
138

Contents
IX
X
XI

Changes in Attitudes towards the Relations between Men and

Women
On Changes in Aggressiveness
Scenes from the Life of a Knight

vii

142
161
172

VOLUME II: STATE FORMATION AND

CIVILIZATION

183

PART THREE
FEUDALIZATION AND STATE FORMATION

185

Introduction
I
Survey of Courtly Society
II
A Prospective Glance at the Sociogenesis of Absolutism

187
187
191

195
195

Dynamics of Feudalization
I
Introduction
II
Centralizing and Decentralizing Forces in the Medieval
Power Figuration
III
The Increase in Population after the Great Migration
IV
Some Observations on the Sociogenesis of the Crusades
V
The Internal Expansion of Society: The Formation of New
Social Organs and Instruments
VI
Some New Elements in the Structure of Medieval Society
as Compared with Antiquity
VII
On the Sociogenesis of Feudalism
VIII On the Sociogenesis of Minnesang and Courtly Forms of
Conduct
On the Sociogenesis of the State
I
The First Stage of the Rising Monarchy: Competition and
Monopolization within a Territorial Framework
II
Excursus on Some Differences in the Paths of Development
of England, France and Germany
III
On the Monopoly Mechanism
IV
Early Struggles within the Framework of the Kingdom
V
The Resurgence of Centrifugal Tendencies: The Figuration
of the Competing Princes
VI
The Last Stages of the Free Competitive Struggle and
Establishment of the Final Monopoly of the Victor

197
208
214
220
225
230
236
257
257
261
268
277
289
303

viii

The Civilizing Process

VII

The Power Balance within the Unit of Rule: Its

Significance for the Central Authoritythe
Formation of the "Royal Mechanism"
VIII On the Sociogenesis of the Monopoly of Taxation
PART FOUR
SYNOPSIS: TOWARDS A THEORY OF
CIVILIZING PROCESSES

312

344

363

The Social Constraint towards Self-Constraint

Spread of the Pressure for Foresight and Self-Constraint
Diminishing Contrasts, Increasing Varieties
The Courtization of the Warriors
The Muting of Drives: Psychologization and Rationalization
Shame and Repugnance
Increasing Constraints on the Upper Class: Increasing Pressure
from Below
VIII Conclusion

365
379

POSTSCRIPT (1968)

449

APPENDICES

485

I
II

487
511

I
II
III
IV
V
VI
VII

Foreign Language Originals of the Exemplary Extracts and Verses

Plates from Das Mittelalterliche Hausbuch

382
387

397
414
421

436

NOTES

517

INDEX

555