Rough music, moral peasant culture and social discipline in Old Regime Spain

Abstract

This article analyses varieties of popular rituals such as rough music, skimmingtons or charivari as well as their meanings and strength in Old Regime rural societies to take part in scientific discussions on social disciplining process (sozialdisziplinierung) in preindustrial societies. The comparative perspective offers information on varieties and changes of these quoted practices in different historical contexts and theyshow popular social discipline options that emerged from below and were expressions of plebeian moral cultures. These had effects –and eventually produce dissension- on acculturation projects from above for thecivilization of Old Regime peasant customs