Economy and Society in the 17th and 18th Centuries
Economy Society A.R.Economic Caract. -Traditional agriculture. Low productivity. Not commercial. Used outdated techniques and tools. -Dominance of the guilds. Associations of craftsmen in the same trade. This extreme control limits free competition which means no price reduction, less variety of products, and less technical innovation. -Domestic trade grew very little due to internal customs and poor quality of the roads. Foreign trade was expanding due to the discovery of America and new sea routes to Asian markets. This led to the establishment of large empires, such as the Spanish and Portuguese.
The 17th C. New economic system called ‘mercantilism’. A country’s wealth depended on how much gold and silver it possessed. Protectionist. Limited imports and encouraged exports to keep gold and silver in the country. States of the Realm. Social organization. -First and second estates (nobility and clergy) privileges. Didn’t pay taxes. -3 estate (ordinary people) not privileges. Pay taxes. Society Spain. Sense of honor and the idea that work was dishonorable. The privileged groups didn’t usually invest in productive or making activities. Commercial bourgeoisie. Small and insignificant. Petite bour and the peasantry became poorer as a result of the economic crisis. During the 17th C Spain experienced severe demographic problems. Periodic plague epidemics, expulsion of the Moriscos, poor harvest, and frequent wars. Phy, Scien, Art. Rationalism and empiricism were new ways of thinking. The French philosopher Descartes founded modern rationalism. Human reason is the only valid source of knowledge. He doubts about everything. The only thing I’m certain of is that right now, I’m thinking. I think, therefore I’m. Empiricism, such as Locke and Hume, maintained that knowledge could only come from sensory experience and from observation. Rationalism and empiricism combined to become the basis of the scientific method which led to significant scientific developments. 18th C. Enlightenment. The 18th C was a time of transition. Important changes contributed to the collapse of the ancien régime. Enlightenment. Intellectual movement that emerged in Europe during the 18th C. Criticized the political and social structures of the ancien régime. Principles: -Learning and teaching. Educate and ‘enlighten’ society. -Reason. The only real source of knowledge. -Science and technological progress. -Equality and liberty. Enlightenment ideas were spread academies, books, newspapers, and salons. D’Alembert and Diderot created the encyclopedia. Enl Spain. Spread thinkers and politician wanted to reverse the decline and to promote Spanish economic, scientific, and cultural development. They established schools and academies, special associations called sociedades economicas de amigos del pais.
Political Ideas Enl. They wanted to abolish the estates system and make all citizens equal before the law. Didn’t support absolute monarchy, separation of powers, and popular sovereignty. -Montesquieu: He based his ideas on the empirist John Locke who defended the separation of power (legislative and executive) and in the English parliamentary monarch. -Rousseau. Popular sovereignty: Power resides in the will of the people, expressed through the right to vote. -Voltaire. Strong monarchy limited by parliament and tolerance and freedom. Economic Ideas Enl. Physiocracy is the belief that the wealth of a nation derives from its natural resources. The ideas of the physiocrats are that the agriculture produces food and raw materials used for sustenance, trade, and craft production, so the agriculture is the only activity that produces and the main source of wealth. Enl Despotism. Combine absolute monarchy (despotism) with enlightenment ideas modernizing the people’s wellbeing. -Absolute power -Enl thinkers to important positions -Changes peacefully. Examples of Enl Despots: Catherine the Great of Russia, Joseph II of Austria, Frederick II of Prussia, and Carlos III of Spain. 18th C in Spain: Bourbons. The dynastic change, the Hapsburgs were replaced by the Bourbons. Spain became more centralized. Carlos II was the last Spanish king of the Hapsburg line. He died without heirs. War of the Spanish Succession (1701-1714) ended with the treaties of Utrecht and Rastatt (1713-1714) -Austria gained lands from Spain, Milan, Spanish Netherlands, Great Britain, Gibraltar, and Menorca. -Philip of Anjou became Felipe V. Bourbon Reforms. *Central governments. -Ministries were created. -The various Cortes were unified. -Castilla’s laws were imposed on Aragon. *Regional government. -Spain was divided into provinces -The intendant collected taxes and controlled the resources of the province during the wartime. *Local government. In Aragon, the corregidor was introduced to the municipalities. -A new tax in Aragon. Economic Changes 18th C The reforms introduced by enlightened monarchs led to important changes. -New agricultural techniques and improved agricultural machinery increased farmers’ productivity. -New crops were introduced (potatoes and corn). Improved nutrition. -Domestic system. Peasants made products in their own homes and sold them to merchants. -Royal manufacturers (royal factories) luxury goods. Large workshops. Science and Art 18th C. Factors: -The influence of the enl on education and technological progress. -The scientific legacy of the 17th C. The application of the scientific method to all fields of knowledge. -Great scientific and technological developments. Rococo. Aristocratic style was popular in Europe between the 1730 and 1760. It represented the joys of life and is characterized by elaborate decoration.