Europe's Transformation: Ancien Régime, Enlightenment, and Absolute Rule

Ancien Régime: Society and Governance

The Ancien Régime (Old Regime) was the expression used to describe the social, political, and economic structures that prevailed in Europe until the liberal revolutions of the late eighteenth century. It designates the set of rules governing social structures, forms of government, and property ownership.

Social Structure of the Ancien Régime

The society of the Ancien Régime was structured into three estates:

• The Clergy: The religious establishment.
• The Nobility: The privileged classes.
• The Common People (Third Estate): The rest of the population, including lower classes and workers.

Demographics and Political System

The demographic regime of this era was characterized by a high birth rate but also a high mortality rate. The prevailing political system was an absolute monarchy.

The Enlightenment: Reason and Reform

The Enlightenment was an influential historical intellectual movement. While precedents for the Enlightenment can be found in England and Scotland in the late seventeenth century, the movement is primarily considered French in its mature form. The Enlightenment also had an aesthetic expression, known as Neoclassicism.

From France, where it flourished, the Enlightenment spread throughout Europe and America. It brought significant renewal, particularly in science, philosophy, politics, and society, though its contributions to Arts and Literature have also been widely discussed. This intellectual current advocated reason as the fundamental way to establish an authoritative system of ethics. Proponents sought to educate society, believing that an educated populace, capable of critical thought, was the best way to secure the end of the Ancien Régime, as absolutism and dictatorship often thrive on public ignorance.

Enlightened Absolutism: Power and Progress

Enlightened Absolutism was a form of government adopted by some European monarchs who attempted to apply Enlightenment principles without relinquishing any of their absolute power. Their motto was: "Everything for the people, but without the people."

The goals included improving education and health to keep the populace content. Although the absolutist state underwent some changes in its performance during the eighteenth century, these reforms did not affect the basic structure of absolute power. The political system established by these monarchies demonstrated that the reformist monarch remained the center of power and had no obligation to justify their actions, even as Enlightenment ideas began to influence political techniques.

A basic principle of Enlightened Absolutism was to increase the welfare of the people and provide a basic, though not excessive, education. This aimed at raising the cultural level of the populace, improving the economic possibilities of the poorest, and ultimately achieving long-term benefits for the State.