Social Divisions under the Ancien Regime

?
  • Created by: lou9119
  • Created on: 26-03-17 17:27
View mindmap
  • Social Divisions under the Ancien Regime
    • The 1st Estate
      • The clergy formed less than 0.5% of the population but the Church owned roughly 1/10 of french land.
      • Controlled a lot of the education, most hospitals and poor relief.
      • It had powers of censorship and publish gov messages.
      • In many towns the clergy dominated. But in countrysides the parish priest (cure) was influential.
        • Cure a Parish priest who was often the only educated person in the village.
    • The 2nd Estate
      • 120,000 nobles, less than 1% of the population but owned 1/3 of french land.
      • Noblesse de court - at Versailles were very wealthy, provided the King's adivsors, ambassadors, intendants and ministers and had access to royal patronage.
      • Noblesse de robe - nobles created by the monarchy selling legal and administrative offices with a hereditary title.
        • 1789 over 70,000 venal offices. (Official job or post that could be bought, giving its holder noble status)
      • Most other nobles lived on their country estates. Many not wealthy and jealous of court nobles, dependent on their feudal rights.
        • Feudal rights was the system where peasants held land in return for their labour.
    • The 3rd Estate
      • Made up the rest of society and consisted of an estimate of 28 mill.
      • Bourgeoisie remained at the top in towns. They owned most industrial and all commercial capital; they wanted to become part of the nobility.
        • Also in towns were the small porpery owners and skilled workers along with unskilled.
      • Peasents resided in the countryside and made up 80% of the pop. They farmed at subsitence level and worked as labourers on land, in industries or as migrant workers in towns.
    • Privileges and Burdens
      • Clergy paid no taxes. Church made an annual grant of 16 mill livres which only made up of 5% of income.
      • Nobility were exempt from the heaviest tax of the taille (land) and the covees royales (labour on roads). They paid some newer taxes but often dodged the full amount. Exempt from military conscription but many volunteered to fight by buying commissions.
        • Commissions -  Military or naval officer posts, making all officers nobles.
      • Peasentry paid rents and taxes on grain harvest and some had to do labour service. All paid to their seigneur. Paid the taille and gabelled (Salt tax). Conscripted or had soliders billeted on them. Paid the tithe to the church. Very dependent on the price of bread.
    • Strengths & Weaknesses - in 1783 France was on of the  most powerful European countries and had just defeated Britain. The structure of the Ancien Regime was inefficent and unfair, it worked.
      • The king could not make radical changes so taxation and government could not be reformed, increasing tensions.

Comments

No comments have yet been made

Similar History resources:

See all History resources »See all French Revolution resources »