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Feudalism
In medieval Europe (and especially in France), society was officially divided into three groups. The clergy was called the First Estate, the nobility was called the Second Estate, and the rest of society (mostly landless peasants) was called the Third Estate. The French Revolution overturned this system.
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First, Second, and Third Estates Term Timeline in Why Nations Fail
The timeline below shows where the term First, Second, and Third Estates appears in Why Nations Fail. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 10: The Diffusion of Prosperity
...that France was an absolutist monarchy from the 1400s to 1789. The clergy and nobility—or First and Second Estates —had special rights, were exempt from taxes, and held the most political power. Meanwhile, the...
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...To fix this crisis, it had to consult the Estates-General, a body of representatives from the First, Second, and Third Estates . But the Third Estate’s representatives, supported by mass protests, forced the Crown to call...
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