The Success of Feudalism

 By Eshaan Patel

Would the feudal political system considered failed and unavailing, or could it be considered a success? Feudalism is, was, and shall pursue be a sociopolical system which has been most famously used in Europe and Japan (Brown), although information discussed below shall largely pertain to the European system of feudalism. The system relied on a hereditary system for all social classes high and low to pass down power (Cornick 18) and had power evenly arranged betwixt the classes, i.e., each gave and took from the higher ranks above them, with them doing the same to their lower-ranked subjects. Feudalism was successful since, as mentioned, it was a fair and impartial system, it aided in the assertion of power over the people, and a form of it continues to be used to this very day. 

To start, feudalism was a fair and just system, balancing power and resources amid the layers of the social pyramid in a way which allowed society to function. Starting off, feudalism presented an very complex social "rank" canon. Feudalism was organized into a social pyramid with many layers giving and taking something to and from their inferiors and their superiors. The social "hierarchy" of feudalism included many parts. Feudalism relied on the inheritance of power to the next generation, and this applied even for the low-ranking serfs and the highest-ranking kings and overlords. (Cornick 18) At the bottom of the social hierarchy would laypeople (the serfs and the slaves, where only the serfs would recieve pay), followed in ascending order by the low-ranking lords and knights, followed by the overlords, followed by the king. (Rice 17) This is important since each layer shall do something, as to be described next. 

Next, the very concept of feudalism involved all parts giving and taking something, thus allowing feudalism to be considered a fair canon. All of these layers of the hierarchy would give something to those above and below, and would also take something from them. Additionally, they would repeat the same exact thing to the layer below them. For example, a king may have given a fief of a certain size to an overlord below him. (Rice 17) After this, the overlord must swear an oath of fealty to supply the king with things {food, military service, money, and the rest} in return. (Cornick 10-11) To make his job easier, the overlord usually did the same thing his King did to him to progressively lower lords, until the lowest lord is reached, the lord of the manor. (McNeil 10-11) The lord of the manor would demand the same as the higher lords out of the peasant serfs that agreed to get a place to live and food if they paid their taxes [usually in food or currency]. (11) Since each social class is giving and taking something from each other, whether directly or indirectly, the ranking canon can be considered just. To conclude, feudalism balanced power fairly betwixt all levels of the social pyramid.

In addition to the fact that feudalism was a balanced, fair system, there were many ways in which authoritative word reached the laymen. Starting off, the self-sufficience of the manors and the very concept of the manorial system, which made trade difficult, made it easy to control people. The manor was designed to include a church, homes for shelter, a farm with fields for food, walls for protection, and its own lord (called the lord of the manor), which constituted essentially all of the necessities of life during the middle ages. During the era in which feudalism was most pronounced in Europe, manors were completely self-sufficient. Additionally, trade was largely done using food, which was relatively difficult to transport over long distances due to the risk of the food spoiling during the way to the destination. (Souza) Since manors were self-sufficient, the lord would be able to maintain absolute power over his subjects without them having much ability to trade with other manors and listen to the rules of another manor. This self-sufficiency would have additionally made the people bound to the land, and this ensures that that laypeople maintain their allegiance to their lord.

Moving on, it was easy to control people as the people themselves deliberately maintained allegiance to those above them. Although it seems unusual that people would still choose to keep allegiance and not rebel against their authority, during the feudal era, people still chose to maintain it. If rebellion is in fact done by the people., they would lose the things which they were provided by their superiors in the system. This would essentially lock the people with their superiors unless they would have liked to have losen power. If they had lost power, they would lose their status. Due to this locking of allegiance from inferior to superior, the superior is able to control what is done by the inferior man. Closing, feudalism added significant ease so they on the bottom of the social pyramid could be controlled by their superiors.

Lastly, the medieval feudal social ranking is and has been remarkably similar to the modern social hierarchy and social hierarchies of the past. How was the system kept in place for such a lengthy amount of time? Feudalism was used during the medieval era for centuries, and many have said that it has actually been in use for a vastly longer amount of time in other forms during ancient times. The sociopolitical balance created by feudalism has also existed in the ancient Persian, Roman and Judean cultures. (Brown) As this balance of feudalism has existed for such a long amount of time, feudalism is shown to be a resilient system.

In addition to being used in ancient and medieval times, the system of feudalism continues to be still used into the present day. The feudal system is divided into many pieces, i.e., the nation-state is divided into states or provinces, which are divided into counties or districts, which are divided in to cities, which are divided into boroughs, all the way down to the individual man. This is similar to medieval feudalism as it is also divided into progressively smaller parcels of land, such as going from King to high lord to low lord to lord of the manor to the individual serf. (Wheeler)

Even more, the system had lords and vassals could setting up laws separate from the laws set up by the King, similar to how US governors can set up laws separate from the US government. (Brown) As feudalism is in continued use up into the present day, this shows the resilience of the system. Additionally, this specific example demonstrates the stability and durability of the system, for a similar hierarchy of controlling land has now shown to exist for centuries. Ending off, feudalism is remarkably similar to the modern system, and this demonstrates the longevity and adaptability of the system.

In conclusion, feudalism was, in fact, a successful system. This is as feudalism was a fair and balanced system. The system additionally made it easy to assert and maintain power over the people and the inferiors, and the system was also used in a different form during ancient times and is still use during modern times. Its social pyramid neatly organized the different social classes into a working "hierarchy". Since the system has been in use for so long, being rather successful during its use, for there is nothing wrong with it, what is the point of changing it instead of continuing to use it?

Bibliography

Brown, Elizabeth A. R. “Feudalism.” Encyclopædia Britannica, by Britannica, 6 Apr. 2023, https://www.britannica.com/topic/feudalism. Accessed 26 Apr. 2023. Article.

Cartwright, Mark. “Feudalism.” World History Encyclopedia, 18 Nov. 2018, https://ww.worldhistory.org/Feudalism. Accessed 26 Apr. 2023. Article.

Cornick, James A. The Late Middle Ages. 1st ed., San Diego, California, United States of America, Lucent Books, Inc., 1995. Print.

McNeill, Sarah. The Middle Ages. 1st ed., New York City, New York, United States of America, Oxford UP, 1998. Print.

Rice, Earle, Jr. Life During the Middle Ages. 1st ed., San Diego, California, United States of America, Lucent Books, Inc., 1998. Print.

Souza, Thiago. “Feudalism: What It Was, Society, and Features.” Toda Matéria, by 7Graus, www.todamateria.com.br/feudalismo. Accessed 24 Apr. 2023. Translated to English by Google Translate. Original title: "Feudalismo: O que foi, sociedade e características". Article.

Wheeler and Carson-Newman University. “Feudalism.” Dr. Wheeler’s Page, 2018, www.web.cn.edu/kwheeler/feudalism.html. Accessed 23 Apr. 2023. Web page.