Europe Transformed 1500-1800? Discuss Political Term Paper

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The British and French empires of the time used their settlement colonies for their natural resources, which represent the engine for the empire development and growth. Commerce was the way people earned a living, and famous mercantilist economists elaborated specific scientific documents- like Adam Smith - 'The Wealth of Nations'- in 1776. The invisible hand represents the way a market assures.

The Protestant Reformation occurred in the 16th century as a way to reform the Catholic Church in Western Europe. Many ordinary citizens in those countries considered the church doctrine to be false and duplicitary, often recurring to teaching and selling of indulgences (which were a temporarily 'remission of temporal punishment due to sins which have already been forgiven' the Catholic Encyclopaedia - W.H. Kent). Religious leaders of the time, like Luther and John Calvin enabled reforms that criticize purgatory, the authority of the church, and mostly the pope, to whom were in conflict. These reformist movements had preoccupations for translating and distributing the Bible, as the only source of pure religious information, and try to separate the masses from the Catholic Church.

Certainly, the 16th and 17th centuries are also periods of full spiritual and cultural revival, continuing the 14th and 15th century Renaissance. The bigot, strongly religious environment that had until then dominated the European society is now changing, very slowly at first, and ever more strongly with the Illuminists in the 18th century, towards a more laic and rational society.

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If until then we are talking about religious law, starting with the 16th century, laic law becomes more and more the norm in Europe.

Additionally, we shouldn't ignore the profound change that the states in Europe endure during this time. Up to the 14th and 15th century, feudalism is the norm in Europe, a political system where the countries are fragmented and where the feudal relationship is often stronger than a national feeling. However, beginning with the 16th century, we can more and more refer to nation-states. English patriotism becomes reflected with the fight against the Spanish invader, while in France, after bitter fragmentation during the religious wars, the 17th century brings about a strong centralized state, under the Bourbon kings Louis XIII and Louis XIV.

Conclusions

Many of the changes that occurred in Europe, within the above mentioned time span had an important impact on the future development of human kind. Whether it is the religious reformat ideas, capitalist thoughts or the industrial developments have cemented the fundament of further growth of the….....

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