O Estado Moderno - História - Ensino Médio

Summary

Professor Basílio's lecture delves into the emergence of the modern state, highlighting the transition from medieval fragmentation to centralized power. The crisis of the 14th century, marked by plague, famine, and peasant revolts, set the stage for the rise of absolute monarchy. This new order saw the nobility relinquish certain rights to maintain privileges, while the bourgeoisie, through financial support, gained economic advantages. Meanwhile, peasants, striving for better living conditions, were subjugated by the state's military might, leading to their proletarianization. The modern state's control over bodies, especially women's, aimed to increase the workforce and solidify its power, reflecting a hierarchical and exclusionary perspective that persists even today.

Takeaways

• 🕰️ The concept of modernity is linked to the idea of the new and the feeling of belonging to a new historical time, which emerged during the crisis of the medieval world in the 14th century.
• 😡 Peasant revolts against the medieval order and questioning of noble privileges occurred in the context of plague, famine, and war, leading to the strengthening of the king's power.
• 👑 The king capitalized on the crisis to centralize power, moving from a symbolic role to establishing absolutism and the centralization of law-making, justice, and a national army.
• 🏰 The nobility, in exchange for some rights, maintained their privileges and the exploitation of peasants' labor, while the king centralized state power.
• 💰 The bourgeoisie, or merchants, played a key role in the modern state by financing the king's armies in exchange for economic conditions to increase their capital.
• 🤝 An alliance was formed between the king, the nobility, and the bourgeoisie, where the king centralized power, the nobility kept their privileges, and the bourgeoisie gained economic advantages.
• 👨‍🌾 The peasants, who were fighting for better living conditions, were the main losers of the modern state, as they were defeated by royal armies and forced back into servitude.
• 🏛️ The modern state expanded its control over bodies, especially women's, transforming them into reproductive bodies to generate wealth and power for the state.
• 🔗 The state's control over bodies was intensified, with women losing control over their reproduction and being subjected to moral regulation and accusations of witchcraft.
• ⏳ The modern state introduced a new standard of what is morally acceptable, with a focus on productivity and the control of time, spreading the use of clocks for time management.
• 🌍 The modern state's model was exported to the Americas, applying the same hierarchical and exclusionary perspective, establishing Europe as a standard and other peoples as inferior.

Q & A

What is the main theme of the lecture given by Professor Basílio?

The main theme of the lecture is the emergence and characteristics of the modern state, focusing on the transition from medieval to modern times, the centralization of power, and the social and economic changes that occurred during this period.

What crisis in the 14th century led to the questioning of the medieval order?

The crisis in the 14th century, primarily characterized by the plague, famine, war, and peasant revolts, led to the questioning of the medieval order and the privileges of the nobility.

How did the peasants' revolts challenge the medieval hierarchy and the privileges of the nobility?

The peasants' revolts challenged the medieval hierarchy by questioning why they should work incessantly, giving a part of their production to the nobility and clergy, especially in the context of a pandemic and crisis, while still being exploited.

What is the significance of the rise of the king's power during the crisis of the medieval period?

The rise of the king's power during the crisis was significant as it led to the centralization of power, the establishment of absolutism, and the creation of a centralized legal system, justice, army, and tax collection, which were previously fragmented.

How did the nobility respond to the centralization of power by the king?

The nobility responded by accepting the loss of certain local rights in exchange for maintaining their privileges, such as not paying taxes and living off the exploitation of the peasants' work.

What role did the bourgeoisie play in the modern state?

The bourgeoisie played a key role in the modern state by financing the king's large armies in exchange for economic conditions that allowed them to increase their capital and engage in commerce.

What is the difference between 'capital' and 'money' as explained in the lecture?

In the lecture, 'money' is described as a portion of economic resources used for spending and purchasing, while 'capital' is the money that is not used for spending but is invested to generate more money.

How did the modern state's centralization of power affect the peasants?

The centralization of power in the modern state negatively affected the peasants by subjugating them to work, defeating their revolts, and restoring servitude conditions, thus maintaining their status as a lower social class.

What was the process of 'proletarianization' mentioned in the script?

The process of proletarianization referred to the peasants losing their lands due to privatization and being expelled to cities in search of survival, leading to a transformation into a working class with no assets.

How did the modern state attempt to control the bodies of its population, particularly women?

The modern state attempted to control the bodies of its population, especially women, by implementing policies to control fertility, restrict women's autonomy over their bodies, and enforce a new moral standard on sexual life.

What was the impact of the modern state's control over time and the concept of productivity?

The modern state's control over time and the emphasis on productivity led to the perception that leisure and distraction were morally wrong, and that all time should be spent productively, which was facilitated by the spread of clocks and the mathematization of time.