ANCIEN REGIME AND ENLIGHTMENT
The Ancien Regime was a social, political and economic system that exited in Europe between the 15th and 18th centuries.
- Monarchs became more powerful
- Craftwork and trade development
- Bourgueise became wealthier
POLITICS
- Absolute monarchy, the king has ullimited power.
- England had a parliamentary monarchy, the monach's power was limited by the Parliament.
ECONOMY
Agriculture: Important economic activity
Crafts were still controlled by guilds.
Trade developed thanks of the discovery of America and the establisment of new routes.
MERCALISM
Imposed by European absolute monarchs. Idea that country's wealth depended of how much gold and silver they had.
Protectionist policies: limiting imports, encouriging exports, making foreigh products expensive and forcing people to consume them.
SOCIETY
1st: Clery
2sd: Nobility
Bourgueise Peasantry: Third State
Society: ESTADES SYSTEM
The Enlightment was an intellectual movement that appears in France during the 18th. Critisied the structure of the Ancien Regime and suggested new ideas to change society. They wanted to put an end
to ignorance and promote social progress, using reason, science and education.
Reason
Nature
Learning and teaching
Progress
Happiness
Equality and liberty
ENLIGHTEMENT CRITICISMS AND PROPALS
Montesquieu
The spirit of the laws (1748)
He defended the separation of
powers
Constitution
Voltaire
Criticized religious dogmatism and defended religious
tolerance.
He inspired Enlightened despotism.
He had very important links
with the Russian tsarina Catherine II.
He understood that the
monarchs should be advised by intellectuals
Rousseau
Established the basis of what we now know as democracy
The social contract (1762)
Popular sovereignty.
He defended that sovereignty resides in the
people.
Enlightened despotism
Combining absolute monarchy with Enlightment ideas
Characteristics
Centralised goverments
Appointed enlightened thinkers to
important positions
Education
Revalorisation of work.
Control over the Church
Catherine the Great of Russia,
Joseph II of Austria, Frederick the Great of Prussia and Carlos III of Spain.
ECONOMIC CHANGES
Physiocrats
Adam Smith
The origin of wealth
Supply and demand
AGRICULTURE
Crop rotation
CRAFTS
TRADE
Triangular trade route
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SOCIETY
They criticised the social and economic influence of the nobility and the clergy.
Enlightened despots passed laws to limit the influence of the nobility and, above all, the clergy.
The wealthy middle class, or bourgeoisie, was inspired by Enlightenment
ideas, such as the value of work and progress.
The peasants' living conditions did not improve, even after agricultural
reforms.