The Salt Axis – Borken-Burlo

The Salt of Freedom

One may not attach much importance to the salt in the shaker on the breakfast table; nevertheless, the white substance has helped drive the modernization of society. From a sociological perspective, salt mining and the salt trade are among the factors that have contributed to independence since the middle ages, particularly that of the urban bourgeoisie. As early as the beginning of the 20th century, sociologist Max Weber had already pointed out that the emergence of independent systems of rule and social orders in western cities led to the break down of feudal power structures (additional information: Salzmuseum Lüneburg).

However, this independence was only reached after skilled crafts, trade, and the arts had specialized in the cities – a development that had still not taken place in the areas surrounding them. As such, the landowning nobility became more and more dependent on the increase in knowledge and wealth found among city dwellers.

Salt played a deciding role in this situation, as it was one of the most valuable commodities of the time and could only be extracted by specialists who lived in the cities. Thus, revenues from the salt trade would flow back into the cities. With wealth grew power – a process that ultimately resulted in the city bourgeoisie demanding and enforcing a share of the power.

That is how the salt of life became the salt of freedom.

Dr. Udo Thiedeke, Johannes Gutenberg-Universität, Mainz, sociologist + artist