Important Aspects of Early Modern English Society

Early modern England is a lot different to New Zealand in the early twenty first century. Almost every aspect of early modern English society contrasts greatly with New Zealand today. Three aspects where this contrast is especially pronounced are in the society was structured, the political make up of the country and the economy.

Society in Early Modern England was rigidly structured in a hierarchical system, in which God was at the top, and peasants and vagrants occupied the bottom slot. Society was also split in to two classes, those who governed, and those who were governed over. The governing class was made up of the nobility and the gentry. They controlled two thirds of England's land, but made up only five percent of the population. The other ninety five percent were the governed class. They included wealthy merchants lawyers and non-titled lawyers, although they were by far the minority. The majority were tenant farmers, landless labourers, paupers and vagrants. The structure was not completely set. You could move up in society, by a good marriage or getting land. You could also move down. Early Modern England was also a patriarchal society, in which women, of any class, were seen to be inferior to men.

Early Modern England was a monarchy. The monarch was advised mostly by his/her privy councillors, a group of advisers she/he elected themselves. The monarch also ruled with the aide of Parliament, who they called and dismissed themselves. Parliament gave the King or Queen advice, which they did not have to take. The Monarch and the Parliament