This page is under construction. The timeline will be expanded further.
ca. 1050 – 1795
![](https://collective-action.info/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Heusden20met20begijnhof20Van20Deventer.jpg)
Merchant guilds
Merchants within a city strengthened their position towards the authorities by joining forces.
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![](https://collective-action.info/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/hammers.jpg)
Craft guilds
About a century after merchants started to cooperate, craftsmen adopted the same strategy.
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ca. 1150 – 1795
ca. 1150 – ca. 1800
![](https://collective-action.info/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/cows.jpg)
Commons
Farmers set rules for common grazing areas, thus creating common lands for the benefit of the entire community.
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![](https://collective-action.info/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Aalst_Hoge_luchtfoto_begijnhof_0.jpg)
Beguinages
Also called the female guilds. Women found work in the growing cities. For security reasons,many single women opted for a cooperative form of housing.
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ca. 1200 – 1850
ca. 1250 – present
![](https://collective-action.info/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/waterboardspicture.jpg)
Waterboards
Land owners and land users worked together to keep their feet dry. Together, they built and maintained dikes, sluices, windmills and other water infrastructure.
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