ABSTRACT
The dynamics of the age of revolution were a result of the combination of the accelerated history of politics in the years after 1789 and the decelerated history of society and economy over a course of decades. This chapter discusses a process of economic change induced by population pressure, leading to social transformation and social conflict. It describes both the changes in social structure and the nature of the social tensions arising from the economic developments. The chapter focuses on some overall trends, trying to chart changes in social structure and gender relations, considering which groups benefited and which did not and seeing how the changes previously outlined were distributed in space and time. It concludes by looking at some national variations in these overall movements, considering the different ways that general, Europe-wide trends appeared in specific countries.
