14 September 2011

The Pre-Industrial World: The Structure of Society

The Theory:
-

Society was divided into three orders or estates

o Each legally defined
o With specific collective rights

The Orders:
-

1st Order/Estate = Clergy

o Safeguard everyones souls
nd
2 Order/Estate = Nobility
o Safeguard the country
from outside invasion and inside disorder
The Sword of the Nation
3rd Order/Estate = Rest of Population
o Support clergy and nobility
o Largely peasants, agriculture workers, also an urban element
Lived at or below poverty line
Urban poor = largest population
Artisans; craftsmen pots, horseshoes, etc.
Very clear hierarchy in this society

Theory of Absolutism:
-

Royal authority is absolute and sacred

o King; his rule was absolute - Source of all power and authority
Ruled by divine right
o God judgement day
Responsible for his peoples well-being
o Peoples duty to protection

Reality of Absolutism:
-

Needed consent of those being governed

The King needed the Church to side with him otherwise confusion could arise for
which side to choose, ultimately leading to excommunication depending which side you
choose
Ruling families struck deals with nobility, the Church, the Third Estate
Buy support through marriage, inheritance, defeating an enemy, through treatys,
diplomatic negotiations, military actions
o Perks/privileges to make this desirable
Make them part of the administration government
King cant do it all on own
Make a deal with the church

14 September 2011

Monarch will recognize the churches absolute authority

A mammoth system of patronage!
Honorary privileges
o Markers of social status
o Only Nobles were allowed to duel
o Nobles behind Monarchy, and the rest of the world behind them
o Nobles could wear certain types and colours of fur, same with others of higher
status
Others forbidden from wearing fur
o Nobles given right to sit in front pew at church
Seigniorial Privileges
o Derived from feudal system and land ownership
o Peasants have to pay a fee to use fishing pond, use oven, and on other services
paid to the Lord because he is the senior
o Other privileges that others didnt have
Could hunt on any land
o Source of Law and Order in the Manor
o Peasants had access to common land
Used jointly
Lord could not kick them off of it
Could collect fire wood from forest, only stuff on forest floor
Trees still standing were the Lords
Legal Privileges
o Special status in law
Fiscal Privileges
o Nobles earned exemption from certain taxes and fees

Other Privileged Groups

-

Corporate bodies collective with legal identity

Eg. Church; guilds; cities and towns
Individuals only had identities as part of a collectivity, not as an individual
Cooper Giuld controlled who made barrels; training, looked after family if ill/family
member passed away. Wore badge as member of Cooper guild

Rest of Society
-

Third Estate = mercantile classes, peasants, artisans, the poor

o Possible to move within the ranks, not common
Mercantile Classes = merchants, traders, bankers, financers
Ran Urban Economy; local, regional and international trade
o Huger amount of trade and retail
Midlands in England were famous for their wool
o Fabric was shipped across Europe and into North America (100s) international
Trade so successful that it destroyed the Italian fabric industry

14 September 2011
How did Business Work?
-

Challenges:
o No stock exchange (as we know it today)
o Poor communications
Everything happened by letter, horseback, or ship
Very slow could take weeks to get letter to where it needs to go
Solution:
o Personal connections
o Notarized contracts
o Informal information clearing houses (coffeehouses!)
o Rudimentary banking system (through banking families eg. Medicis (they are
a family))
Banks served 2 purposes money changers (currency), worked effectively
as a deposit bank safeguard money and pay you interest on it

Bottom of Social Ladder

-

The Indigent:
o Very numerous
o Very poor
o Relied on church if they didnt have money to feed themselves