European Society in the 18European Society in the 18thth CenturyCentury

• Ancien regime Ancien regime (previous government or (previous government or state)state)• Rural SocietyRural Society• Seigneurial rights, peasant obligationsSeigneurial rights, peasant obligations

• Urban SocietyUrban Society• Family EconomyFamily Economy• Population GrowthPopulation Growth• Accepted practices challenged by the Accepted practices challenged by the

EnlightenmentEnlightenment

Society of the Old RegimeSociety of the Old Regime

““Mankind are happier in a state of inequality Mankind are happier in a state of inequality and subordination.” and subordination.” Dr. Samuel Johnson Dr. Samuel Johnson

Ancien RegimeAncien Regime: European society before 1789: European society before 1789– Hierarchy and stratificationHierarchy and stratification– Privilege of aristocracy and churchesPrivilege of aristocracy and churches– Foundation resting upon rural laboring Foundation resting upon rural laboring

forceforce– Slow challenge of urban societySlow challenge of urban society

European Society in the 18European Society in the 18thth CenturyCentury

NobilityNobility Daniel Defoe: Gentlemen were "such who live on estates, Daniel Defoe: Gentlemen were "such who live on estates,

and without the mechanism of employment"and without the mechanism of employment" England (<200 families, only title holder considered noble)England (<200 families, only title holder considered noble) France (ca. 4,000, all members of family considered noble)France (ca. 4,000, all members of family considered noble)

Privileges (exemption from the Privileges (exemption from the tailletaille in France, for example) in France, for example) Rural societyRural society

Nobles (aristocrats with titles of nobility: barons, counts or Nobles (aristocrats with titles of nobility: barons, counts or earls, dukes) hold seigneurial rightsearls, dukes) hold seigneurial rights

Gentry (untitled aristocrats in Britain)Gentry (untitled aristocrats in Britain) Yeoman farmers (wealthier farmers, owning some land)Yeoman farmers (wealthier farmers, owning some land) Tenant farmers (England) and peasants (Continent)Tenant farmers (England) and peasants (Continent)

Continental peasantry: owe feudal dues, esp. labor Continental peasantry: owe feudal dues, esp. labor obligationobligation

Fluid bottom: laboring poor, prostitutes, vagrants, and Fluid bottom: laboring poor, prostitutes, vagrants, and thievesthieves

Life in the Cities Life in the Cities:Life in the Cities:

– Rising bourgeoisie (wealth & political ambition)Rising bourgeoisie (wealth & political ambition)– Spectrum of merchant class (ship owner vs. tradesman)Spectrum of merchant class (ship owner vs. tradesman)

Reflects growing trade and consumption of new Reflects growing trade and consumption of new goods (sugar, tea, coffee, rum, tobacco, cotton)goods (sugar, tea, coffee, rum, tobacco, cotton)

– Urban laboring poor (journeymen, domestic servants…)Urban laboring poor (journeymen, domestic servants…)– Marginalized destitute (beggars, vagrants, criminals)Marginalized destitute (beggars, vagrants, criminals)

Poverty of the city Poverty of the city Property, crime, and prisonProperty, crime, and prison Population growth after 1750:Population growth after 1750:

– 1750: 140 million1750: 140 million– 1790: 190 million (26% increase in 40 years)1790: 190 million (26% increase in 40 years)

Family in 18th century Europe TrendsTrends Family economy & its vulnerabilityFamily economy & its vulnerability Foundling hospitalsFoundling hospitals

– In 1770s 1/3 of all babies born in In 1770s 1/3 of all babies born in Paris abandonedParis abandoned

Danger of childbirthDanger of childbirth New ideas about childhoodNew ideas about childhood Views about womenViews about women

Population Change (millions), 1750-1790

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

Britain France Spain Prussia Russia

17501790

European Society in the 18th Century

Population growth after 1700:Population growth after 1700:1700: 120 million1700: 120 million1750: 140 million1750: 140 million1790: 190 million1790: 190 million

Three Estates: continuity and varietyThree Estates: continuity and variety11stst estate = clergy estate = clergy22ndnd estate = aristocracy estate = aristocracy33rdrd estate = everyone else estate = everyone else

Townsfolk/city dwellers (bourgeoisie)Townsfolk/city dwellers (bourgeoisie)– Increase in populationIncrease in population– Migration a key factorMigration a key factor– Primary Roles: commerce, artisans,shopkeepers, Primary Roles: commerce, artisans,shopkeepers,

professionals, unskilledprofessionals, unskilled– Ownership class: bankers, lOwnership class: bankers, l– ““Middling Sorts”: lawyers, merchants, doctorsMiddling Sorts”: lawyers, merchants, doctors– ““Lower Middle Sorts”: tradesmen & Lower Middle Sorts”: tradesmen &

shopkeepersshopkeepers– WorkersWorkers– The destituteThe destitute

Third Estate: Commoners

Third Estate: Commoners PeasantryPeasantry

– 80-85 % of population80-85 % of population– Diet of breads, soups, root vegetables; Diet of breads, soups, root vegetables;

beer/winebeer/wine Geographic variationGeographic variation

– Eastern (serfs)Eastern (serfs) Least freeLeast free Lived in multi-generational familiesLived in multi-generational families

– Western (free)Western (free) Britain: tenant farmersBritain: tenant farmers France: 60 % owned farms, but still rentedFrance: 60 % owned farms, but still rented

– Mobility restrictedMobility restricted

The AristocracyThe Aristocracy•Social and political Social and political privilegesprivileges•Idleness and frivolityIdleness and frivolity•In France they often In France they often live at court, live at court, elsewhere on country elsewhere on country estatesestates•Forbidden to work or Forbidden to work or even invest in even invest in commercial commercial enterprises or “trade”enterprises or “trade”•Obsessed by jealousy Obsessed by jealousy and rankand rank•Often indifferent to Often indifferent to religionreligion

Fragonard: The Swing

The BourgeoisieThe Bourgeoisie•Usually involved with Usually involved with trade or the trade or the professions: law, professions: law, medicine or teachingmedicine or teaching•Highly educated and Highly educated and literate, intolerant of literate, intolerant of noble pretensions of noble pretensions of superioritysuperiority•Look to government Look to government for financial reform for financial reform and efficiencyand efficiency•Many follow an Many follow an austere form of austere form of Catholicism called Catholicism called JansenismJansenism

Fragonard: La Lectrice

The Third EstateThe Third Estate•Made up of both Made up of both rural farmers and rural farmers and town dwellerstown dwellers•Generally poor and Generally poor and often destitute often destitute (picture shows a (picture shows a prosperous family prosperous family scene)scene)•Usually devout Usually devout CatholicsCatholics•Suffer under unfair Suffer under unfair tax system tax system

Louis XV Louis XV (1715-1774)(1715-1774)•Comes to throne as Comes to throne as boy of five yearsboy of five years•Leads life of Leads life of indolence and indolence and frivolityfrivolity•Dominated by Dominated by women, usually his women, usually his mistressesmistresses•Handsome and Handsome and polite, but polite, but untrustworthy and untrustworthy and pettypetty

Hyacinth Rigaud: Louis XV

Madame la Madame la Pompadour Pompadour •The chief mistress of The chief mistress of Louis XVLouis XV•Dominated court Dominated court politics and royal politics and royal offices for many offices for many years (d. 1764) years (d. 1764) •Her intervention in Her intervention in politics brought politics brought scorn to France and scorn to France and led to poor decisions led to poor decisions by the kingby the king

De la Tour: La marquise de la Pompadour

Enlightened AbsolutismEnlightened Absolutism

Frederick II of Frederick II of Prussia (1740-Prussia (1740-1786)1786)•Under Frederick William I, Under Frederick William I, Prussia becomes a military Prussia becomes a military statestate•Junker class dominates armyJunker class dominates army•Middle class as civil servantsMiddle class as civil servants•King called himself “first King called himself “first servant of the state”servant of the state”•Reformed the law code, Reformed the law code, eliminated torture except for eliminated torture except for treason and murdertreason and murder•Religious tolerationReligious toleration•Was a talented flautist and Was a talented flautist and composercomposer•Invited Voltaire to visit him Invited Voltaire to visit him for long periods of time for long periods of time Frederick II of

Prussia

Frederick IIFrederick II•Made Prussia the Made Prussia the dominant military dominant military power in Europe: power in Europe: 200,000 man army200,000 man army•His seizure of Silesia His seizure of Silesia in 1740 begins War of in 1740 begins War of Austrian SuccessionAustrian Succession•Allied with England Allied with England against the French and against the French and Austrians in the Seven Austrians in the Seven Years War (1756-1763)Years War (1756-1763)•Intelligent, talented, Intelligent, talented, brave and ruthlessbrave and ruthless

Catherine II of Catherine II of Russia (1762-Russia (1762-1796)1796)•German princess becomes German princess becomes empress of Russia after empress of Russia after death of her husband, the death of her husband, the TsarTsar•Familiar with the Familiar with the Philosophes, Philosophes, claimed to want claimed to want to reform Russia, did little to to reform Russia, did little to achieve thisachieve this•Suppressed a peasant revolt Suppressed a peasant revolt in 1773in 1773•Allowed herself to be fooled Allowed herself to be fooled by “Potemkin villages”by “Potemkin villages”•Expanded Russian empireExpanded Russian empire•Partitioned Poland along Partitioned Poland along with Prussia and Austriawith Prussia and Austria

Joseph II Joseph II Holy Roman Emperor, Holy Roman Emperor, Archduke of Austria, Archduke of Austria, king of Bohemia and king of Bohemia and Hungary (1765/80-1790)Hungary (1765/80-1790)•Co-ruler with his mother, Co-ruler with his mother, empress Marie Theresa empress Marie Theresa from 1765-80from 1765-80•Influenced by the Influenced by the teachings of the teachings of the EnlightenmentEnlightenment•Sought to reform his lands Sought to reform his lands through logic through logic

•Abolished serfdomAbolished serfdom•Religious tolerationReligious toleration•Equality before the lawEquality before the law

Joseph II

Joseph IIJoseph II•““Philosophy is the lawmaker Philosophy is the lawmaker of my empire”of my empire”•The only true reformer The only true reformer among the “Enlightened among the “Enlightened Despots”Despots”•Tried to enforce uniformity Tried to enforce uniformity throughout empirethroughout empire

•German becomes official German becomes official languagelanguage•Sumptuary laws Sumptuary laws resentedresented•Reforms: too much, too Reforms: too much, too fastfast

•His successor, Leopold II His successor, Leopold II reverses reformsreverses reforms