The cost of Gothic churches during the High Middle Ages

“During the High Middle Ages, Western Europe was plagued with famine, disease, and dismal economic growth. Population was increasing at a rate faster than the (Maddison, 2003), leaving the average person experiencing declining levels of sustenance every year. However, during the period known as the High Middle Ages, between 1100-1250, the Catholic Church built over 1400 Gothic churches in the Paris Basin alone. The lavish ecclesiastical building campaigns of the Church represented a portion of the GDP for the region, but what percentage of GDP does this building campaign represent? Several scholars have studied the explicit (tangible) costs of the ecclesiastical buildings constructed in the High Middle Ages. However, no scholar has examined the implicit (opportunity) cost of unskilled labor required for their construction, or tried to estimate the total cost of their building as a percentage of regional GDP. This thesis examines the implicit costs of building the Gothic churches of the Paris Basin built between 1100-1250, and attempts to estimate the percentage of the regional economy that was devoted to building them. I estimate that over this 150-year period, on average, 21.5 percent of the regional economy was devoted to the construction of these Gothic churches, 1.5 percent of which is directly related to the implicit cost of labor.” from a thesis “How Much did the Gothic Churches Cost? An Estimate of Ecclesiastical Building Costs in the Paris Basin between 1100-1250” by Amy Denning, via MR.
see also

   Desa Charitralu  (Histories of the Nations)

                  -Sree Sree (Srirangam Srinivasarao)
                 Maha Prasthanam
               
-*-Translation from Telugu-*-

Whichever country's history you see      [E Desa charitra chusina
what reason is there to be proud?        [ E munnadi, garva karanam?
Entire history of human race             [Nara Jaathi charitra samastham
is exploitation of others                [ Parapeedana parayanatwam

Entire history of human race             [Nara jaathi charitra samastham
is an exercise in mutual destruction     [ Parasparaaharanodyogam
entire history of human race             [nara jaathi charitra samastam
is drenched in the blood of the wars     [ rana raktha pravaha siktham

Terror as its principal                      [Bheebatsa rasa pradhanam
Ghostly herds as its equivalent              [ visacha gana samavakaram
The entire history of human race is          [narajathi charitra samastham
leeching of the penniless                    [ daridrulanu kaalchuku thenadam

The mighty made slaves                       [Balavanthulu durbala jaathini
 out of the meek race                        [ Banisalanu kaavincharu
The murderers became owners of the earth     [narahanthalu dharaadhi patulai
 and climbed to glory in history             [charaitramuna prasiddi kekkiri

A place that is not a battle field           [ranarangam kaani chotu bhu
 cannot be found anywhere on earth           [ sthalamantha vedakina dorakadu
Entire past is wet with blood                [gathamantha thadise rakthamuna
 if not,  with tears                         [ kaakunte kanneelulatho

Extinguished families                        [challarina samsaaralu
decimated populations                        [ maraninchina jana sandoham
cries  of the helpless                       [asahaayula hahakaaram
are echoing history                          [ charitralo moolugu thunnavi

Malice, selfishness                          [Vaishamyam, Swardhaparatwam
connivance, jealousies and conflicts         [ Koutilayam, eershyalu, spardhalu
Armed with tricks and disguises              [maayalatho, maaruperla tho
proved the course of the history             [charatragathi niroopinchinavi

Chengiz Kahn, Thamarlane                       [Chengiz Kahn, thamarlenu
Nadirshaw, Ghajni, Gori                        [ Nadirshaw, Ghajni, Ghori
Sikander--what does it matter who they are?    [Sinkandaro evadaithe nem?
Each one a grand murderer                      [ Okkokkadu maha hantakudu

Vikings, white huns                           [ Vikingulu, swetha hunulu
Sithians, Parsis                              [  sithinlu, paraseekulu
Pindaris and Thugs built                      [ pindarulu, thaggulu kattiri
a bridge of swords to the time                [  Kalaaniki kattula vanthena

In the dark ages of ignorance                 [Agyanapu tandha yugam lo
in hunger and passion--                       [ aakalilo, aavesham lo
guided by unknown  and extreme forces         [Theliyani E theevra sakthulo
marched people-- [thinking]                   [ nadapisthe, nadhichi manushyulu

everything is their own achievement           [antha thama prayojakatvam
they are the lords of the earth               [ thaame bhuvi kadhinaadhulamani
built kingdoms                                [sthapinchina saamrajyalu
made artificial laws [which]                  [ nirminchina kruthrima chattal

with the rise of other forces                 [ Itarethara sakthulu leste
fell down as houses of cards!                 [  padipoyenu peka medalai
from the forces engaged in mutual battle      [ parasparam sangharshinchina
rose the history                              [  sakthulato charitra puttenu

The deception that went on for ever           [ Chirakalam jarigina mosam
the heinous crimes of the mighty              [  balavanthula dowrjanyalu
the schemes of the rich                       [ dhanavanthula pannagalu
even now? can't be allowed from now on        [  Inkaana? ekapai chellavu

A social justice based on exploitation of     [ Oka vyakthini marokka vyakthi
One person by another person                  [  oka jaathini veroka jaathi
one race by a different race                  [ peedinche saanghika dhrmam
even now? can't go from now on                [  Inkaana? ekapai saagadu

The rickshaw-wallah in china                      [cheena lo rickshaw walla
the mine worker of Czech                      [ check desapu gani pani manishi
the ship-cleaner of Ireland                   [irelanduna oda kalaasi
All the down-trodden peoples                  [anagaarina aarthulandaru--

Hotentots, Zulus, Negroes                     [Hotentot, julu, neegro
the different races of all continents         [ khandantara naanaa jaathulu
will broadcast in one voice                   [chaaritraka yadartha tatwam
the true nature of the history                [Chaatista roka gonthukatho

Which battle took place why?                  [E uddham enduku jarigeno
which kingdown lasted how long?               [ E rajyam ennallundo
the dates, and the documents                  [Taareekhulu, dastavejulu
These are not the essence of history,         [ivi kaavoyi, charitra saram
                           my friend!

This queen's love affairs                     [Eee ranee prema puranam
The expenses of that invasion                 [ Aa muttadi kaina kharchulu
schemes, and accounts                         [Matalabulu, Kaifeeyatulu
these are not the essence of history,         [ivi kaavoyi, charitra saram
                        my friend!

The stories hidden under the                  [Ithihaasapu cheekati konam
 the dark corners of the history              [ Attaduguna padi kaanpinchani
are wanted now!                               [kadhalannee kavalippudu
A truth that won't hide by being hidden       [daacheste daagani satyam

In the civilisation of nile river             [Nilu nadee naagarikathalo
 what is the life style of a common man? [sic][ saamanyuni jeevana mettidi?
In the building of Taj Mahal                  [taj mahal nirmananiki
 who are the labourers that lifted the stones?[ rallethina kooli levvaru?

In the invasion of the dynasty                 [Saamrajyapu Dandayatra lo
 what are the braveries of the common people?  [ samaanyula sahasamettidi?
It is not the Palanquin of the king, my friend,[Prabhuvekkina pallaki kaadoyi
 who are the bearers that carried it?          [Adi mosina boyi levvaru?

In takshasila, Pataliputram                   [Taskhasila, Pataliputram
 on the shores of Mediterranean sea           [ Madhyadhara samudra teeram
In Harappa, Mohanjadaro                       [Harappa, Mohanjadaro
 on cro-magnon  cave fronts--                 [Cro-Manyon guha mukhallo

In the twilights of the history               [Chaaritraka Vibhata Sandhyala
 what was the development of human story?     [ Maanava kadha vikasamettidi
What country, in what time                    [E Desham E kalam lo
 achieved what grand truths?                  [ Saadhinde paramardham?

Which sculpture? what literature?             [E Silpam? E Saahityam?
 Which science? what  music?                  [ E Sastram? E Gandharvam?
To which rays is this renunciation?           [E velgulakee prasthanam?
 Which dream? What conquest?                  [ E swapnam? E digvijayam?

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