The makeup of society was changing in the 18th century, but there was still opposition from the rigidly hierarchical established powers of the day. Indeed, despite some changes, at 1800, the nobility and traditional landed aristocracy still held the political power in most of Western Europe. In addition to largely being the sole holders of political power, the nobility of the 18th century held the vast majority of the region's wealth. Most of this wealth (and indeed, most of its attendant prestige) derived from the ownership of land.
To be a true member of the European nobility at this point, one must not have to work for a living, but must be able to live solely off the rents and profits from property, preferably land which the same family had owned for generations. In fact, some newer members of the noble classes went to great lengths to disguise newly bought land as land their grandparents and great-grandparents had owned. It should be noted that in most countries, the clergy were also considered part of the aristocratic class, and many of the clergy were second and third sons of lesser nobles, and hence unable to inherit their fathers' lands and estates.
The next group on the social ladder during the 18th century can be one of the most contentious subjects in European history. The growth of the urban working class (which Marxist historians term the 'proletariat') and the growth of their respective industries had largely been hampered by long production times or the restrictive trade guilds of the cities and towns in which they often worked. The development of cottage industries (think very small-scale, in-home, efficient production of goods), and later, the advent of the Industrial Revolution changed the conditions dramatically for urban craftsmen, tradesmen, and merchants during the 18th century.
In addition to better technology, which decreased production times for their goods, portions of Europe gradually embraced freer markets, which allowed goods, people, and, most importantly, wealth to be more easily transferred. This, coupled with colonization and the opening of newer markets for their goods, allowed some of these traders and craftsmen to greatly increase their wealth in a short period of time. Many of these people used their newfound wealth to buy land and titles, essentially trying to buy their way into power and prestige. This practice was abhorred by the traditional nobility, though there was little they could do to stop it.
The third and lowest social group was essentially everyone else: farmers, general laborers, and the destitute. In the 18th century, this made up by far the largest portion of the population, and as the 18th century saw an increased population boom (the European population nearly doubled from 1700 to 1800), this group only grew larger, especially in urban areas. Life for this section of the population was hard, although it was getting slightly better. The introduction of American vegetables via trans-Atlantic trade increased the nutrition level of all Europeans, and this likely helped increase the life expectancy and quality of life of the working poor. Despite minor improvements, this group still largely lived day-to-day, working to feed their families and themselves. One poor harvest could ruin them financially, depleting what little savings they had.
This reality gave women more latitude to participate in the public sphere, because they often had to help in the fields or find work outside the home to support the family. Though this happened, it was not ideal; women, if the family could afford to, were still expected to live a largely domestic life. The working poor were also entirely shut out of the political order; even in countries like Great Britain, where a representative assembly played a prominent role in governance, the right to vote was often only given to landowners.
