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History
1.2. Social change
Economic prosperity resulted in an
increase
in the
population
and a reduction in the
number of big epidemics.
Cities grew
, especially those on trade routes or with important
ports, such as Venice, Paris, London, Cologne, Lisbon and Antwerp.
Society continued to be divided into different social groups called
classes
, as it was in the
Middle Ages.
The
privileged class
consisted of the
nobility
and the
clergy
. They were a minority,
but owned most of the land. They were the only ones who had access to high political
positions. They had numerous
privileges
: they didn´t pay taxes, and they were judged by
special tribunals. They lived in their castles in the countryside or in palaces in the city.
The
unprivileged class
, also called
commoners
,
consisted of the majority of the
population. They paid numerous taxes and did not have access to high political positions.
This group was divided into various sub-groups:
❚
The
peasants
continued to form the largest group. They were
serfs
of the feudal lord
or noble. They had to pay them rent or a part of their harvest. For this reason, many
of them went to the cities where they had more freedom.
❚
The
bourgeoisie
were the
city
inhabitants. They were not ruled by a feudal lord.
This social group increased in number, became wealthier and gained more political
influence during the Early Modern Age. There were significant differences within this
group:
– The
upper bourgeoisie
were important merchants, bankers and officials. They
lived in richly decorated
urban palaces
. Together with the city nobles, they formed
the
ruling class
, the most powerful and influential group.
– The
petite bourgeoisie
were small merchants, less important officials, all types of
artisans, artists, servants and labourers. They formed the largest group in the cities.
They lived in humble houses in buildings with several floors.
There was also a marginalised social group that consisted of
beggars
1
and
vagabonds
that lived on charity.
Some of the upper bourgeoisie became wealthier than the nobles themselves. As a result,
families from the nobility began marrying into the richest families of the bourgeoisie.
In turn, the bourgeoisie demanded an end to the privileges enjoyed by the nobility and the
clergy and not to pay so many taxes and have access to all political positions.
The monarchs supported either the bourgeoisie or the nobility, depending on their own
interests. The bourgeoisie gradually gained more rights, but did not reach the same level
as the nobility until the end of the Early Modern Age.
As well as the
rural society
that developed in the Middle Ages, an
urban society
developed. This became one of the defining characteristics of the Early Modern Age.
Some social groups protested for their rights. The most violent protests were carried out
by the peasants. However, these revolts were severely suppressed
2
.
1
beggar:
a person who lives by asking for
money for food
2
suppress:
to end using force