Major Features Pre-revolutionary Europe can be described by four distinct features: Aristocratic elites possessing a wide variety of inherited legal privileges Established churches intimately linked with the state and aristocracy An urban labor force usually organized in guilds A rural peasantry subject to high taxes and feudal dues

Maintenance of Tradition Social Traditions Few people considered change or innovation desirable in Europe during 18 th century Nobles demanded restoration of legal privileges that believed were being taken away by growing monarchy Peasants called for restoration of their customary rights whether through petitions or revolts to access certain lands, courts, or grievance procedures

Maintenance of Tradition cont. Economic Traditions Economy aside from Industrial Britain was primarily based on agriculture

Hierarchy and Privilege Medieval sense of rank and degree became more rigid in the 18 th century Each state or society was considered a community composed of several smaller communities People did not enjoy “individual rights” but instead were given rights and privileges guaranteed to particular community they were apart of

Aristocratic Privileges British Nobility The smallest, wealthiest, best defined, and most socially responsible resided in Great Britain Eldest male member sat in the House of Lords (Corruption led to control of House of Commons) Usually had direct or indirect control over government French Nobility Nobility in France was less refined because 400,000 nobles consisted of two groups Nobles of the sword-nobility attained through military service Nobles of the robe-nobility who purchased the rights or served in government Exempt from taxes like other nobles in Europe

Aristocratic Privileges cont. East of the Elbe River, the characters of the nobility became more complicated and repressive Poland Military traditions of the aristocracy remained significant Polish nobles were called szlachta and they were entirely exempt from taxes after 1741 Until 1768, the Polish nobility had the right of life and death over their serfs Most of the Polish nobles were poor and the few who had wealth exercised political power in the fragile Polish state Austria and Hungary Nobility possessed broad judicial authority over the peasantry through manorial courts.

Aristocratic Privileges cont. Prussia Prussian nobles were given extensive judicial authority over the serfs Nobles increasingly made up the Prussian bureaucracy Russia 18 th century saw the creation of the Russian nobility which was based on state service Other privileges included: The ability to transmit noble status to a nobleman’s wife and children Judicial protection of noble rights and property

Aristocratic Resurgence Aristocratic Resurgence is a term applied to the European- wide reaction by the nobility to maintain their status amidst the threat of expanding power of the monarchs Nobles did four major things to protect their privileges: Tried to protect exclusiveness by making it difficult to become a noble Reserve positions in the military, government posts, and ranks in clergy Used influence in government to prevent the spread of absolutism Tried to get further tax exemptions to preserve wealth

The Land and it’s Tillers Land was economic basis of 18 th century Europe and status and power of nobility ¾ (75%) of all Europeans lived in the country Most people besides nobility were poor

Peasants and Serfs Rural social dependency related directly to the land Large difference in dependency between peasants and nobility Peasants were usually legally bound to certain land and a particular lord Class that owned most land controlled local governments and courts Taxation fell on the “tillers of the soil’’ (Peasants)

Obligations of Peasants France Almost all French peasants were subject to certain feudal duels French peasants would rent land in exchange for their labor Russia Russian nobles based their wealth by number of male serfs Russian nobles like Prussian and Austrian nobles enjoyed punishing their serfs Ottoman Empire Peasants were free but nonetheless landlords tried to exert their authority as much as they could There wasn’t much need for labor in southeastern Europe Sometimes a peasant will switch landlords Landlords owned all the tools for farming causing the peasants to become dependent

Peasant Rebellion Russia Russian monarchy itself contributed to further degradation of the serfs Whole villages were given to nobles 50 peasant revolts between Leader Emelyan Pugachev promised serfs land of their own and freedom from their lords Government brutally suppress rebellion Peasants and serfs normally directed to property then people Peasants/Rebels sought to reassert traditional or customary rights against practices perceived as innovated

Aristocratic Domination : English Game Laws Aristocrats manipulated English legislation by making certain animals exclusive for nobles to hunt Only persons possessing a particular amount of property could hunt there animals City merchants were excluded to preserve exclusiveness Many rural poor people ignored such laws Many poachers sold their hunting making themselves into a business