2. The changing structure of society Flashcards
(5 cards)
What was the nobility’s place in the political life of the country?
. The political class made up 5% of the population.
. The nobility formed only a very small part of the political elite. In 1633, the nobility numbered only 122.
. Economic wealth, predominantly based only on land ownership, was the root of the influence that the political classes held. Through their control of 70% of the land, they gained social and political power.
What was the power of the nobility?
Their power was based on their major landholding, so their influence was based on food prices and rent rates. By 1688, the power of the nobility began to extend to trade, finance and manufacturing. They established townhouses or London residences as well as their country seats. However, the fortunes of noble families declined over time, with some having as little an annual income as £200. There was a gradual decline in their power due to:
. Noble economic power being challenged by the new commercial and merchant class in London and provincial towns.
. Most of the nobility sided with Charles during the Civil War so many lost money and had lands confiscated by the republic.
. The republicans abolished the HOL in 1649 and it was only revived by the Convention Parliament in 1600.
How did the gentry class change and develop?
The gentry were a significant group in the political elite. Some gentry were landowners, but other non-landed gentry professions included doctors, clergy, lawyers, architects, musicians, merchants. Over time, many of these professionals used their acquired wealth to purchase land. From 1625-88, the gentry were the largest social group attending universities and the Inns of Courts. Gentry began to farm themselves, to improve the quality of their land through drainage and land reclamation. They wanted to maximise profits from the land and use their income for investments in trade and industry. Hamden, Pym, Cromwell were all from the gentry.
How did urbanisation occur?
A growing number of shops were established in towns which sold a wide array of goods like tobacco, books, textiles and tea. Therefore, urban development became more concentrated in some larger existing market towns. Norwich, for example, grew in size from 100,000 people in 1550 to over 30,000 in 1650, largely because of its importance in the cloth trade.
How did growth of the professional and merchant classes?
