The Ancien Régime

• Social, economic, and political system prevalent in Europe from the 16th to 18th centuries

Characteristics

• Absolute political system: Monarchs held all powers
• Agrarian economy
• Stratified Society: Dominated by privileged groups
• Great religious influence

Exceptions to Political Absolutism

• Holland and England

Holland

• Confrontation with the Spanish monarchy under Felipe II led to the Northern provinces forming a republic
• Provinces had representatives in the States-General, a legislative assembly
• Head of state was the stadtholder from the Orange family

England

• English Revolutions (1642-1660): Conflict between Parliament and Charles I, leading to civil war and Charles' execution in 1649
• England became a republic under Oliver Cromwell as Lord Protector
• Absolute monarchy: Restored in 1660 Glorious Revolution (1688): Second revolution
• Parliament elected William of Orange as king
• Bill of Rights (1689) limited the king's power, establishing a parliamentary monarchy with rights to enact laws
• Power was vested in the nobility
• Bourgeoisie: Legislative power with parliamentary control
• Independent Judicial power

Demographics & Society

• Birth rate: High, about 7 children per average
• Death rate: High due to famines, epidemics, bad harvests, natural disasters, lack of hygiene, disease
• Life expectancy: Barely 50 years
• Population growth: Moderate until the late 18th century

The Three States Model

• The model was under the Ancien Régime
• Nobility made up 2%-3% of the population
• The nobility possessed large estates and a considerable income
• They also held high political and military positions
• Upper clergy positions came from noble families and lived in luxury
• Lower clergy consisted of priests, monks, and nuns dedicated to cleaning, maintenance, and agricultural work

Unprivileged State

• Farmers represent the primary group (80% of the population) engaged in agriculture and livestock farming
• Bourgeoisie lived in the urban areas, discontent since economic power, not privileges
• Middle bourgeoisie led liberal professions
• Lower bourgeoisie were craftsmen & small traders, and working classmenial workers from the cities & strive to survive

Economy

• Low productivity subsistence farming
• Archaic techniques and basic tools
• 17th-century: New techniques, tools & crops across Europe (particularly in England and Holland)

Industry

• Urban workshops: Managed by guilds
• Rural families were managed in production by farmers without guilds.
• 18th century : New productive systems
• The putting-out system involved work from home where merchants supplied raw materials to farmers who manufactured textile products
• Trade saw limited domestic activity due to high internal tariffs and poor-quality roads, but flourishing foreign trade

The Enlightenment

• Cultural and intellectual power in Europe during the 18th century
• Thinkers criticized the principles of the Ancien Régime and believed in religious freedom, education, personal merit, and a fair tax system

Key Representatives of the Enlightenment

• Voltaire: Supported parliamentarism, fair taxation, and religious tolerance
• Rousseau: people are the base of its power in favor of popular sovereignty & constitutions

Enlightened Despotism

• New political system in Europe during the second half of the 18th century
• Absolute monarchs introduced reformist policies without relinquishing any power

Art in the 17th and 18th Centuries

• Renaissance (16th century) → Baroque → Neoclassicism (second half of the 18th century)
• Neoclassicism involves arc models and classisim
• It also involves architectural elements

Spain in the 18th Century

• The death of Carlos II without an heir led to the War of Succession (1701-713)
• Felipe de Anjou also increased influence of the French monarchy
• Crown of Aragon supported Archduke Charles and the Great Alliance
• Treaty of Utrecht (1713) ended the War of Succession

Territory Reorganization

• Felipe V (1700-1746) and Fernando VI (1746-1759) established a centralist state
• Territories of the Crown of Aragon laws & rights with Nueva Planta
• The kingdom was divided into provincial demarcations led by military personnel with high judicial power