|
|
This is only a preview of the paper
Click here to register and get the full text.
Existing members click here to login
|
|
|
Q1- Outline the economic features of the early feudal system. (Up to the 11th Century.) The early feudal system, which comprises the year 400’s – 1000’s, had an overwhelming agriculture economy. This meant that production of food was only through farming. The farming was done on an estate. The estate was a large tract of land often including many thousands of acres. A feudal lord, spiritual or temporal owned this land. The word “owned” in this instance doesn’t specifically mean that the land was an economic property rather it is a social and political entity in which the lord not only is landlord of that land but protector, judge, police chief, and administrator. In the feudal system, pope, kings, lords, peasants and serfs exists as part of a social hierarchy. At this point the Church believed that this hierarchy was perfect and it was God’s will where you were born. This meant that if you were born into a peasant family it was God’s will that you too would be a peasant. So the Lord’s and King’s were the ruler of the lower class people. (Serf’s and peasant’s) Even though the serfs and peasants were the majority they had no say in neither politics nor economics. They had no authority and there was no democracy. The power came from the land and because Lords and Kings owned land they were the leaders. Wealth was also measured through how much land you own. Land at that time was the basis of all wealth and power. Money played no role in this stage of life. There was a reciprocal relationship with the kings, lords and the peasants. This meant that the Kings gave land to the lords and the lords would give the kings Military service. Then the lords would give a place on their land to the serfs, including, small hut and a plot of land for their own use. In return only the serfs would work on the lords land. The villages could be described as a self-contained and self-sufficient economy. What ever the villages (serfs) needed they would produce themselves. Trade was not done through towns or markets. There was simply no trade. What you had produced on you land was the only thing you had. They were very limited.
Approximate Word count = 1516
Approximate Pages = 6.1
(250 words per page double spaced)
|
|
|
|
|
|