Persons living in the old Estate society were expected to live according to their position, and to be content with the situation into which they were born. But people nonetheless harboured dreams and goals for a better future, and this sometimes led them to strive for a higher position than the one into which they were born. In the end, persons were not prisoners of their social status, and climbing higher on the social ladder was indeed possible. It required, however, careful strategising and the use of a variety of tactics, the study of which has been neglected in traditional history research. The use of such tactics sometimes allowed the actors to realise their hopes, but also left space for failure, which gave rise to very real fears. In this book fifteen scholars present their views on different aspects of Swedish society during the period 1500-1800. The book focuses on remarkable events and processes taking place in the Swedish realm during this era. Behind each event was a web of individual hopes and fears which motivated people's actions. The universal theme of hopes and fears has occupied persons of all eras, and this volume will interest scholars and students in cultural history, early modern studies, history of mentalities and political culture.