guilds
n. plural-onlyn. groups of people who do the same job and work together to protect their interests. These were very common in the past for workers like bakers, builders, or artists.
n. associations of craftsmen or merchants formed for mutual aid and protection and to maintain standards within their profession. Historically significant in medieval Europe for regulating trade and training apprentices.
The medieval guilds controlled who could work as a blacksmith in the city.
During the Middle Ages, powerful merchant guilds influenced local politics and set the prices for imported goods.
The decline of the traditional guilds coincided with the rise of industrial manufacturing, which prioritised mass production over the strictly regulated apprenticeship systems of the master craftsmen.
While the singular form 'guild' exists, the term frequently appears in the plural when discussing historical economic systems or professional associations.