Chapter 14 : Economy and Society in the Eighteenth Century

Economy and Society in the Eighteenth Century

The eighteenth century witnessed growth, expansion, and transformation in agriculture, trade, commerce, and industry, recovering from the stagnation of the seventeenth century.

• Key Trends: Unprecedented population growth, intensification of Mercantilism, restructuring of production out of feudal bonds, and active government encouragement of the economy.
• Global Impact: By the second half of the eighteenth century, England was on the road to the Industrial Revolution, radically changing the economic and political relationship between industrial Europe and the non-industrial world (Asia, Africa, South America). Britain became the first industrialized nation and dominant imperial power.

Demographic Growth

Demographic growth started around 1730 after prolonged stagnation, most clearly marked in western Europe.

• England: Population rose from about 5 million in 1700 to more than 9 million in 1801 (the year of the first British census).
• Scotland and Ireland: Grew rapidly during the eighteenth century.
• France: A populous region; territories expanded from 480,000 sq. km (c. 1580) to 5,20,000 sq. km (1780).
• Population rose from about 16 million in 1715 to about 26 million or perhaps more by 1789.
• Held an estimated 18% of the total European population in 1750.
• Parker and Wilson's estimates: 1,93,52,000 in the 1690s to 2,50,65,000 in 1787.
• Regional disparity: Principal gains were in frontier regions (previously devastated by the wars of Louis XIII); interior growth was insignificant. French proportion of European population increased until Napoleon, then fell steadily.
• Russia: Similar growth seen much later in the nineteenth century.
• Spain: Marked growth from 7 to 10 million.
• Prussia: Rose from probably 1.7 to 3.1 million after a disastrous seventeenth century.
• Germany: Rose from approximately 10 to 12 million in 1650 to around 17 million by 1750 (figures unreliable).
• Low Countries: Unusually high degree of urbanization (small/medium towns) and unmatched population density.

Reasons for Rapid Population Growth:

Table 13.1:…