2.SOCIETY
Different rates at which the economies developed also caused social differences.
Atlantic Protestant Europe
bourgeois traders
Prospered inthe craft and trade industries
They became more powerful
Gained access to political positions
Became part of the privileged class
Their powerful position enabled them to develop trade, generating yet more wealth.
Southern Catholic Europe
economy barely recovered
Nobility and the clergy
Maintained their positions of power
Continued to reject the craft and trade industries
Any other manual work they considered undignified
Their objective was
to live off the rents they received from their
Possessions
accumulate noble titles
Lands
Social classes
Nobility
Bourgeoisie
Peasants
Beggars
Haute bourgeoisie
Petite bourgeoisie
did not pay any taxes
had political or military obligations
dedicated their time to hunting and social events
lived in palaces and obtained rents or income from their lands
consisted of important traders, bankers and high public officials
They continued to prosper, especially in certain countries
The English and Dutch bourgeoisie
included artisans, small-scale traders and labourers
having to pay taxes and badly affected by the crises
formed the majority of the population
they became very vulnerable during agricultural crises and many of them had to resort to begging
became very vulnerable during agricultural crises and many of them had to resort to begging
Each Kingdom
monarchs needed to increase their resources
resorted to raising the taxes of the peasants and bourgeoisie
Social revolts
occurred in a year of bad harvests
majority of those who rebelled were peasants, who were led by discontented nobles or bourgeoisie.
In each kingdom
there were different motives for the revolts
France
they were politically motivated
British Isles
political motives were combined with religious rivalries
Spain
they were led by secessionist movements
Russia
they were due to ethnic divisions
