Antic Règim

Understanding the Ancien Régime

Overview of the Ancien Régime

• The Ancien Régime refers to the social, economic, and political system that existed in Europe during the 17th and 18th centuries. Its decline began with the French Revolution at the end of the 18th century.

Social Structure of the Ancien Régime

• Society was divided into closed groups known as "estaments," which were determined by birth, meaning individuals could not change their social class.

• In contrast to modern society's open classes, where mobility is based on wealth rather than birthright, this rigid structure defined social interactions and opportunities.

Three Main Estates

• The society was categorized into three estates:

• Nobility

• Clergy (clergat)

• Common people (terciestat or poble)

These groups were represented in a feudal pyramid structure.

Privileged vs Non-Privileged Groups

• The privileged groups included nobility and clergy who held significant power:

• They owned most land.

• Collected taxes from commoners.

• Were exempt from paying taxes themselves.

Nobility Breakdown

• Nobility consisted of those with noble titles, further divided into:

• High nobility (e.g., counts, dukes).

• Low nobility (e.g., knights).

Clergy Classification

• The clergy was also split into two categories:

• Higher clergy (bishops and abbots).

• Lower clergy (priests and monks).

Common People: Life Under Feudalism

• Common people were further distinguished between rural peasants and urban dwellers:

• Rural peasants often worked under a feudal system where they paid taxes to nobles or clergy while working their lands. This system persisted from medieval times.

• Urban dwellers formed a bourgeoisie class that included various levels of wealth among merchants and artisans. High bourgeoisie comprised wealthy traders and financiers, while middle and lower bourgeoisie included small merchants and craftsmen.

Economic Aspects of the Ancien Régime

• The economy was predominantly agrarian; about 80% of people lived in rural areas engaged in agriculture, which was characterized by low productivity due to outdated techniques.

Political Aspects of Absolute Monarchy

Characteristics of Absolute Monarchy

• The predominant form of government in most European countries during the Ancien Régime was absolute monarchy, where the monarch held personal governance and was the highest authority.

• The king had extensive powers: he dictated laws, approved or suppressed legislation, directed the government, appointed political positions and ministers, administered justice as the supreme judge, and controlled military and foreign policy.

• The justification for the king's unlimited power stemmed from a divine right theory; any act against the king was viewed as an attack on God.

• This divine right concept posited that since kings derived their authority from God, they were not accountable to anyone but Him. Notably, Bossuet defended this view while serving King Louis XIV of France.

• Historical precedents for this belief include Machiavelli’s "The Prince," published in 1513, which argued for royal authoritarianism.

Decline of Absolute Monarchy