The Lives of the Aristocracy and Peasantry During the Eighteenth Century (Essay Sample)

Student’s Name Professor’s Name Course Date The Lives of the Aristocracy and Peasantry During the Eighteenth Century The majority of societies worldwide were organized in hierarchical social structures during the eighteenth century. Historical accounts indicate that nearly 67 per cent of the European population lived in communities that practiced aristocracy (Blum 395). Specifically, land and property ownership rights were highly influenced by an individual's social status in society. The aristocracy was entitled to own and manage large estates, whereas the peasants were restricted to developing small parcels of land. In addition to the formal state laws, the community's preexisting traditions and customs formed part of the statutes to be followed by citizens. The aristocrats controlled the political institutions since they were entitled to debate and legislate state affairs. On the contrary, the peasants enjoyed limited freedoms, given that they were prohibited from attending general assemblies. The lives of the aristocracy contrasted sharply with that of the peasantry during the eighteenth century. People automatically belonged to either aristocracy or peasantry based on their family lineage. An individual born into nobility automatically acquired land and property ownership rights passed from previous generations (Lukowski 5). On the contrary, peasants could not progress from their underprivileged positions to accumulate wealth and political power regardless of their hard work. Additionally, peasants and their children were forced to provide cheap labor for the farmlands owned by the nobles (Sée 20). The wages they received for their services were inconsequential, which hindered them from accumulating financial resources to initiate a revolution. Moreover, the nobles regarded the peasants as unintelligent and uneducated creatures incapable of undertaking profitable large scale agriculture. Therefore, the existing laws and regulations restricted peasants and their children from owning large estates. The evidence shows that the nobles enjoyed absolute fundamental rights and freedoms, whereas the peasants were subjected to limited liberties. There was a marked difference in educational background between the nobles and the peasants during the eighteenth century. Whereas the nobles educated their children in the best learning institutions, the peasants could hardly afford primary education for their children. Specifically, only the aristocrats were trusted to formulate laws and debate state affairs (Bengtsson et al. 30). Additionally, the nobles exploited loopholes found in the law to evade remitting taxes and levies to the state. Consequently, the aristocrats amassed great wealth, which they passed down the line since they could protect it using their political connections (Lukowski 19). On the contrary, the peasants were supposed to remit taxes and levies to the state. Additionally, the peasants were exempted from participating in the legislative assembly for their lack of education and perceived diminished cognitive abilities. Thus, the lives of the aristocracy and peasantry had little in common during the eighteenth century. In conclusion, the lives of the aristo...