Final answer:
Before their revolutions, France had an absolute monarchy, a powerful aristocracy, and a highly educated middle class, while Russia had a constitutional monarchy, a weaker aristocracy, and a largely illiterate population.
Step-by-step explanation:
In the social order prevalent in France and Russia before their revolutions, there were several essential differences.
In France, an absolute monarchy was in power, where the king had complete control over the government and the people. The king's authority was not limited by a constitution or any form of representative government.
In Russia, on the other hand, they had a constitutional monarchy, where the power of the Tsar was constrained by a constitution. Although the Tsar still held significant power, it was not absolute.
Another difference was in the social structure. In France, there was a powerful aristocracy that held significant social and political influence. In Russia, while there was also an aristocracy, it was generally weaker and less influential compared to their counterparts in France.
One more notable difference was in the education and literacy levels. In France, the middle class was highly educated, comprising professionals, merchants, and intellectuals. In Russia, however, there was a largely illiterate population, especially among the peasants and lower classes.