Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Peasants and Nobles

It has always been thus. Peasants used to be called serfs which ranged from freeman to slaves. Today we confuse Villeins for the entire class of serfs. These were under contract to work the lords land to produce crops for the lord such as wheat and required permission to break the contract which usually meant buying freeman status. Freeman could serve any lord they chose.  This is why the confusion that the land owned them. Technically Villeins were not property or tied to the land which is a common misconception. Of course, this may be a distinction without a difference since poverty could bring about that same result. They also had their own land, either owned or rented which they worked to provide for their own families. That a lord might also be abusive and presumptive also doesn't change a serfs legal status. Some serfs were quite wealthy, but still peasants.

Thomas doesn't seem to appreciate these nuances.

The contract was for protection by the lord from outlaws that were plentiful at the time.

American exceptionalism could be defined as getting rid of the nobles.

T H E Y ' R E . . . B A C K...

Today we define those nobles by their thinking which is strongly influenced by socialism and marxism.

Taxation today is clearly related to the serfs wheat. Nothing really changes.

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