Feudalism

Europe

Feudalism in Europe was made up of a noble or lord who acquired real property under the laws at that time. These lords were able to build castles, sometimes with a moat, which would serve as a defence against enemies. The lords would rent their land out to vassals who swore an oath of fealty to defend the land against common enemies. Vassals were considered nobles but with less power. Serfs were allowed onto the estate after swearing an oath of fealty to the lord in exchange for his service should it be required to help defend the estate. The serfs then could rent and farm the land to provide sustenance for thier families. The peasants or serfs were not slaves because they were free to leave if they wanted. If one lord sold the land to another the peasants would not move. The new lord would own the land. The peasants usually paid rent in a form of parentage of their crop. In return the vassals gave the peasants protection and land to work. The vassals would also give the lord a percentage of their wealth.

Japan

Feudalism also developed independently in Japan. Skilled military leaders called bushi raised armies of Samurai to defend their estates. The samurai lived by a code of conduct called Bushido. Bushido was similar to the Chivalry of Europe, but included a code for Japanese women to follow. Bushido emphasized extreme loyalty to one's lord even more than chivalry, making the Japanese amazingly tenacious fighters. As in European feudalism, the land was farmed by peasants.

Criticism

In recent years, some historians have criticized the use of the term feudalism, and the way it is used to describe medieval society. They cite three arguments to support this criticism. Firstly, that the term was never used by medieval man, but was invented by early modern lawyers in an attempt to interpret the legal system of the middle ages; secondly, that it reflects a simplified and often incorrect view of medieval law and politics; and thirdly, that modern historians use the term in too many different and often incompatible ways. The debate over this issue continues.

Modern

The structure of most modern-day corporations has been compared to the traditional feudal society, with the Board of Directors taking the place of God, the CEO as the King, and the workers as the serfs. The largest obvious difference is that corporations are rarely permitted to kill disobedient workers or engage in armed conflict.

References

• Marc Bloch, Feudal Society
• Francois-Lois Ganshof, Feudalism
• Elizabeth E. R. Brown, "The Tyranny of a Construct: Feudalism and Historians of Medieval Europe", American Historical Review 79
• Susan Reynolds, Fiefs and Vassals: The Medieval Evidence Reinterpreted