Understanding the Old Regime: Society, Economy, and Enlightenment

The Old Regime: Society, Economy, and Enlightenment

1. The Old Regime

The Old Regime refers to the social, economic, and political structures that characterized European monarchies before the French Revolution.

It was characterized by:

  • Maintaining a stratified society of feudal origin.
  • An economic system based primarily on agriculture.
  • An absolute monarchy, where power was concentrated in the hands of the king.
  • Limited social mobility for ordinary people, with exceptions for ascension into the nobility.
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Primary Sector Activities: Grazing, Farming, and Fishing

Primary Sector Activities

Extensive Grazing

Extensive grazing is practiced in both developed and underdeveloped countries and has these features:

  • It occurs on large farms.
  • Requires little investment in manpower, but productivity is low.
  • Characteristically involves cattle and sheep.
  • Developed in central and western United States, Argentina, Brazil, southern Russia, and Australia.

Factory Farming

Factory farming takes place in developed countries and has these features:

  • Requires large investment in plant.
  • Animal
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Spain’s Agricultural Landscape: Population, Land Use, and Farm Structure

Agricultural and Rural Population Trends

The farming population is decreasing due to the mechanization of agricultural work. Since the last decades of the 20th century, many cities are losing population to rural municipalities because of an urban exodus that increases the population living in the countryside. This creates a distinction between the rural population, those living in a rural area while working in the manufacturing or service industries, and the agricultural population, those who work

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Textile Industry: Consolidation and Limitations

Consolidation and Limitations of the Textile Industry

The textile industry faced two limitations: shortage of coal mining Catalan and the difficulties of transport to supply coal from Asturias. This stimulated the proliferation of industrial estate situated on the banks of the rivers to take advantage of hydroelectricity. The weakness of the Spanish market (peasant classes), is a great demand too tied to agricultural production. The textile industry became a sector that the government constantly

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Medieval Europe: Urban Growth & Royal Power

Technical Innovations and Population Growth

Technical Innovations: New techniques of cultivation emerged, such as the three-year rotation, allowing only a third of the land to remain fallow. New agricultural tools included the Norman or moldboard plow, the horse collar, horseshoes, windmills, and watermills.

Population Growth:

  • Cause: Increased agricultural production led to better nutrition and, consequently, population growth.
  • Result: A search for new farmland.

Medieval Towns and the Rise of the Bourgeoisie

Medieval

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Global Climate Zones: Equatorial, Tropical, Desert, and Temperate

Global Climate Zones

Hot Climates:

Equatorial Climate

  • Location: Areas around the Equator (Amazon Basin, Congo Basin in Africa).
  • Climate Characteristics:
    • Temperatures: Consistently high (approximately 25°C) year-round.
    • Precipitation: Very abundant (approximately 2000mm).
    • Vegetation: Lush and abundant, known as “jungle” in Asia.
    • Rivers and Water: Abundant and regular flow due to high rainfall (e.g., the Amazon).
    • Population and Lifestyles: Home to indigenous populations engaged in rudimentary agriculture.

Tropical

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