Enlightenment Principles and the Ancien Régime Crisis
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Key Enlightenment Philosophers
Montesquieu: Separation of powers. Rousseau: Social contract and popular sovereignty. Voltaire: Parliament and fiscal justice.
The Three Branches of Power
- Legislative Power (Congress): Approves laws and the budget.
- Executive Power (President): Applies laws and controls the army.
- Judicial Power (Supreme Court): Acts as the guarantor of the constitution.
- Voting Rights: Historically, wealthy white landowners had the right to vote.
Comparison of Political and Economic Systems
| Category | Opposed (Old System) | Advocated (New System) |
|---|---|---|
| Political Change | Absolute monarchy | Separation of powers, social contract, constitution, and the need for a Parliament. |
| Economic Changes | State regulations | Free trade |
| Social Changes | Stratified society | Social mobility |
The Crisis of the Ancien Régime
- Economy: Mainly rural with artisan activities.
- Society: Divided into three states (stratified).
- Political Systems: Absolute monarchy.
- Causes of the Crisis: Economic growth and the Enlightenment.
Key Historical Definitions
- Entailed Land: Land that cannot be bought or sold, concentrated in the hands of the nobility and the Church.
- Manorialism: The system that replaced feudalism, where lords received manorial rents.
- Subsistence Farming: Agriculture with low productivity.
- The Third Estate: The non-privileged group in the Ancien Régime.
Historical Context and Revolutions
The Ancien Régime and Enlightenment
The Ancien Régime was a political and economic system in 18th-century Europe. It evolved due to the development of trade, which benefited the bourgeoisie. The Enlightenment was an intellectual movement that defended the separation of powers, reason, and freedom of thought.
Parliamentary Systems
In England and the USA, revolutions led to the establishment of parliamentary monarchies and the separation of powers.
The Spanish Succession
Following the death of Charles II without children, the War of the Spanish Succession began. The victors introduced absolutism and territorial uniformity. Later, Charles III regulated professions and allowed free trade with America.
Key Figures and Terms
- Charles I: An absolute king who was beheaded after losing a war against Parliament.
- Voltaire: An enlightened philosopher who defended parliamentary systems.
- Charles of Habsburg: The Austrian candidate to the Spanish throne who lost the War of Succession.
- Diderot: An enlightened philosopher who contributed to the Encyclopedia and defended parliaments.
- House of Commons: The house that represents the bourgeoisie.
- Absolute Monarch: A king who held all powers and resisted change.
- Enlightened Despot: A king who held all powers but implemented enlightened reforms.