Ancien Regime

 

Life and institutions of pre-Revolutionary Europe basically the same in 1750 as in 1500. Tradition, hierarchy, corporateness, and privilege still dominant.

 

Basic characteristics:

 

·        Politics- ruled by absolutist monarchs. Growing bureaucracy. Aristocratically-led armies.

·        Economy- Agriculture based- still predominantly traditional in methods and organization

·        scarcity

·        slow transport

·        low-level iron production

·        mercantilist government policies

·        Only non-traditional economy in Europe even after 1750 was England.

·        Society-   Aristocratic elite revives in 18th century. Retain or gain legal privileges.

·        Established Catholic and Protestant churches tied to state and aristocracy

·        Urban work organized in guilds

·        Rural peasantry still paid feudal dues, high taxes. Forced labor in east.

·        Hierarchical society

·        Corporate rights (Estate, village, guilds, parish, etc.). No individual rights.

·        Limited social mobility

·        Internal divisions: class conflict; no single standard of law, money, weights or

·        measures.

 

Signs of change:   urbanization- population growth

                             scientific agriculture

                             new technologies- canals, roads, steam engine, use of coke

                             scientific revolution/reformation changing ideas.

 

Problems in Pre-Revolutionary France

 

  • Strong aristocratic revival.
  • Economic crises: wars, poor tax system, company crashes, loss of colonies
  • Weak rulers- unresponsive to calls for reform.
  • Criticism and discontent accelerating by 1780’s.  Philosophes, middle-class discontent, rising peasant discontent.