Difference between revisions of "American Freedom's Feudal Beginning"
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| − | |HasArticleText=Feudalism was the characteristic institution of the Middle Ages. It started around the end of the 11th century about the time of the First Crusade. Though | + | |HasArticleText=Feudalism was the characteristic institution of the Middle Ages. It started around the end of the 11th century about the time of the First Crusade. Though it was a time when freedom was enjoyed by an elite few, when villeins (serfs) were bound to the land and subject to both the justice and injustice meted out at the whim of the local lord, it also had its bright side. Feudalism, as it developed in England, represented an improvement in the life of the villein and planted the seeds of freedom that, over a period of 580 years, were the ancestors of American freedom. |
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| + | In the dark ages that preceded, poverty stricken villages were unable to protect themselves from being marauded and plundered. Feudal society was an arrangement between baron, knight, the Church, and the serf to bring protection, order, and rude justice to village life. It was far from liberty and equality, but it was a first step. The serf received a large measure of stability and safety for the price of legal subordination to the warrior class and the clergy. In this way, society moved away from barbaric anarchy. The surplus product of serf labor was divided among Baron, knight, Bishop and Abbot, who were, relative to the serf, a leisure class. Wealth accumulated in the hands of the leisure class and this created a demand for luxuries. From this grew trade, arts, crafts, and a middle class of merchants and tradesmen and the cities that grew as the result. Of course it wasn't fair. "Fair" had nothing to do with it. | ||
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Revision as of 16:22, 9 September 2014
2014/09/09 User:Jeff
Feudalism was the characteristic institution of the Middle Ages. It started around the end of the 11th century about the time of the First Crusade. Though it was a time when freedom was enjoyed by an elite few, when villeins (serfs) were bound to the land and subject to both the justice and injustice meted out at the whim of the local lord, it also had its bright side. Feudalism, as it developed in England, represented an improvement in the life of the villein and planted the seeds of freedom that, over a period of 580 years, were the ancestors of American freedom.
In the dark ages that preceded, poverty stricken villages were unable to protect themselves from being marauded and plundered. Feudal society was an arrangement between baron, knight, the Church, and the serf to bring protection, order, and rude justice to village life. It was far from liberty and equality, but it was a first step. The serf received a large measure of stability and safety for the price of legal subordination to the warrior class and the clergy. In this way, society moved away from barbaric anarchy. The surplus product of serf labor was divided among Baron, knight, Bishop and Abbot, who were, relative to the serf, a leisure class. Wealth accumulated in the hands of the leisure class and this created a demand for luxuries. From this grew trade, arts, crafts, and a middle class of merchants and tradesmen and the cities that grew as the result. Of course it wasn't fair. "Fair" had nothing to do with it.
