christian crumlishTIL that “farming”meant tax farming *before* it meant growing crops and animal husbandry.
Mr. Completely@xian wait really?
@mrcompletely yep I always thought it was a metaphor but it comes from *firm-* in Latin, referring to a fixed payment, and got its agricultural meaning in the 19th century from the concept of “farming out”
@xian wild. I'm reading about the consolidation of capitalism in America in the latter 19th century rn, wonder if this book will touch on that
jesse jarnow@mrcompletely @xian this book on the "origins of north american dropout culture" is in my reading pile & sounds perhaps adjacent to your interests if you haven't come across it. https://autonomedia.org/product/gone-to-croatan/
@bourgwick @mrcompletely does this get into the revival tent meetings era?
@xian @mrcompletely i have not yet read it.
@bourgwick @mrcompletely that’s no excuse for not answering my lazy-ass question! 😂