André Holenstein – författare

The emergence of the state in Europe is a topic that has engaged historians since the establishment of the discipline of history. Yet the primary focus of has nearly always been to take a top-down approach, whereby the formation and consolidation of public institutions is viewed as the outcome of activities by princes and other social elites. Yet, as the essays in this collection show, such an approach does not provide a complete picture. By investigating the importance of local and individual initiatives that contributed to state building from the late middle ages through to the nineteenth century, this volume shows how popular pressure could influence those in power to develop new institutional structures. By not privileging the role of warfare and of elite coercion for state building, it is possible to question the traditional top-down model and explore the degree to which central agencies might have been more important for state representation than for state practice. The studies included in this collection treat many parts of Europe and deal with different phases in the period between the late middle ages and the nineteenth century. Beginning with a critical review of state historiography, the introduction then sets out the concept of 'empowering interactions' which is then explored in the subsequent case studies and a number of historiographical, methodological and theoretical essays. Taken as a whole this collection provides a fascinating platform to reconsider the relationships between top-down and bottom-up processes in the history of the European state.

The emergence of the state in Europe is a topic that has engaged historians since the establishment of the discipline of history. Yet the primary focus of has nearly always been to take a top-down approach, whereby the formation and consolidation of public institutions is viewed as the outcome of activities by princes and other social elites. Yet, as the essays in this collection show, such an approach does not provide a complete picture. By investigating the importance of local and individual initiatives that contributed to state building from the late middle ages through to the nineteenth century, this volume shows how popular pressure could influence those in power to develop new institutional structures. By not privileging the role of warfare and of elite coercion for state building, it is possible to question the traditional top-down model and explore the degree to which central agencies might have been more important for state representation than for state practice. The studies included in this collection treat many parts of Europe and deal with different phases in the period between the late middle ages and the nineteenth century. Beginning with a critical review of state historiography, the introduction then sets out the concept of ''empowering interactions'' which is then explored in the subsequent case studies and a number of historiographical, methodological and theoretical essays. Taken as a whole this collection provides a fascinating platform to reconsider the relationships between top-down and bottom-up processes in the history of the European state.

The emergence of the state in Europe is a topic that has engaged historians since the establishment of the discipline of history. Yet the primary focus of has nearly always been to take a top-down approach, whereby the formation and consolidation of public institutions is viewed as the outcome of activities by princes and other social elites. Yet, as the essays in this collection show, such an approach does not provide a complete picture. By investigating the importance of local and individual initiatives that contributed to state building from the late middle ages through to the nineteenth century, this volume shows how popular pressure could influence those in power to develop new institutional structures. By not privileging the role of warfare and of elite coercion for state building, it is possible to question the traditional top-down model and explore the degree to which central agencies might have been more important for state representation than for state practice. The studies included in this collection treat many parts of Europe and deal with different phases in the period between the late middle ages and the nineteenth century. Beginning with a critical review of state historiography, the introduction then sets out the concept of ''empowering interactions'' which is then explored in the subsequent case studies and a number of historiographical, methodological and theoretical essays. Taken as a whole this collection provides a fascinating platform to reconsider the relationships between top-down and bottom-up processes in the history of the European state.

Die "Bauern zwischen Bauernkrieg und Dreißigjährigem Krieg" waren im 16./17. Jahrhundert auf höchst unterschiedliche Weise in die historischen Ereignisse einbezogen: im einen Fall als eigenständige Akteure einer politisch-religiösen Auseinandersetzung von weltgeschichtlicher Bedeutung, im anderen Fall weitgehend als Opfer eines politisch-militärischen Konflikts der europäischen Mächte, der der breiten Bevölkerung, insbesondere auch auf dem Land, alle Überlebenskraft abforderte. Der Autor beschreibt die Formen des Wirtschaftens und sozialen Zusammenlebens von Bauern in dieser Zeit, untersucht die Strukturen kommunaler Organisation auf dem Land, schildert feudale und staatliche Herrschaft als zentrale Faktoren in der Ausgestaltung der ländlich-bäuerlichen Lebensverhältnisse, die Holenstein nicht zuletzt auch als Ergebnis des politischen Handelns der Bauern selbst interpretiert. Seine besondere Aufmerksamkeit gilt der sozialen, wirtschaftlichen, politischen und kulturellen Dynamik und ihren Ausprägungen in der bäuerlichen Lebenswelt.

Wie souverän ist/war die Schweiz?Allianzen und Bündnisse im Inneren wie im Äusseren prägen die Geschichte der Schweiz in Europa. Souveränität war in Wirklichkeit nie Selbstzweck, sondern diente dem Land und seiner Bevölkerung. Sie lässt sich auch in der Staatslehre, dem Verfassungs- und Völkerrecht nicht auf Selbstbestimmung und Autonomie reduzieren. Vielmehr steht sie für die Wahrung von Frieden und Wohlfahrt im Inneren wie in den Aussenbeziehungen.Heute und in Zukunft bildet sie die Grundlage für die Mitbestimmung und Teilhabe  der Schweiz in Europa mit einer gemeinsamen Wohlfahrt. Das vorliegende Buch zeigt die geschichtliche Entwicklung und die staats- und völkerrechtlichen Grundlagen auf. Es erhebt Einspruch gegen ein in der Politik und Öffentlichkeit  oft missverstandenes, absolutes Souveränitätsverständnis, das in Geschichte und Recht keine Grundlage findet.