The Old Regime
Uploaded by jjb693 on Jan 10, 2009
Jennifer Bapties
(Q1)
The “Old Regime” is a term applied to the European social, economic, and political development, before the French Revolution. The term had stood for absolute, monarchs, large bureaucracies, and armies led by aristocrats. Cultures were generally traditional, however varies throughout each group. These European cultures were divided into two groups, the Northwestern and the Eastern household. The “Old Regime” was influenced by its economy, in that, the food was scares, had slow transportation, and little iron products. With Europeans depending on their land for profit, they started to change the traditional ways of production in order to increase their profits.
Cultures were generally traditional, however it varied throughout each group. While each community had their own certain privileges, the Europeans where against individual rights. The rules where strict and had to be obeyed in order to be respectful to the hierarchy. “The traditional social and economic outlook was the hierarchical structure of the society”(p. 482). To wear certain clothing as worn by their higher rank of authority was forbidden and disrespectful.
The economy of the “Old Regime” depended on the land. The European cultures were divided into two groups, the Northwestern and the Eastern household. In the west, most of those who lived in the countryside were free peasants. The ones who lived in the east were mostly serfs. These serfs were an agricultural worker, who cultivated land belonging to a landowner.
Most Europeans worked within the family economy. Because it was impossible to be supported by ones self, the family members worked together. All of the household members worked, and the production went to the household. Most of the European households consisted of married couples. Children usually lived with their parents until their early teenage years, and then they were set off to find other work. These children were set off to find other work because they earned more working outside the home. The ones who lived in the east were mostly serfs. These serfs were an agricultural worker, who cultivated land belonging to a landowner.
With Europeans depending on their land for profit, they started to change the traditional way of production in order to increase their profits. The population increase placed new demands during the 18th century. The growing population and the shortage of land put a demand on the landowners. They had to create a way in the means of faster and the growth of their product. The...