Feudal society was considered almost a universal form of government for Eurasia. Most of the peoples who inhabited it went through this system. Next, let's take a closer look at what the feudal society was.
Characteristic
Despite certain changes in the relationship between the consumer and the producer, the latter remained in absolute dependence on the former. The feudal slave-owning society was based on a certain way of doing business. The direct producer had his own farm. However, he remained dependent as a slave. Coercion was expressed in rent. It could be presented in the form of corvee (working wages), dues (products) or expressed in money. The amount of the annuity was firmly established. This gave the direct producer a certain freedom in the conduct of his business activities. These features of feudal society were especially pronounced during the transition to monetary compulsory payments. In this case, the freedom of the farmer was expressed in the ability to sell his own products.
Signs of a feudal society
One can single out the characteristic features of such a society:
- dominance of subsistence farming;
- combination of small peasant land use and large feudal land ownership;
- personal dependence of the direct manufacturer. Non-economic forced labor and product distribution;
- routine and obsolete state of the art;
- presence of rent relations (forced payments were made for the use of land).
However, specific features of feudal society were also noticeable:
- dominance of a religious worldview (in this historical period, the church played a special role);
- feudal society was characterized by a wide development of corporate organizations;
- hierarchical structure;
- there were estates of feudal society.
Classic
The most vividly feudal society was developed in France. However, this system extended more to the state, rather than the economic structure of the country. Nevertheless, it was in France that the estates of feudal society were very clearly formed. They were presented in the form of a vassal staircase. Its economic meaning was concluded in the redistribution of compulsory payments between the layers of the ruling class. By order of the overlord, the vassals gathered the militia at their own expense. It guarded the borders and represented, in fact, an apparatus for non-economic coercion of the peasants. Such a system, according to which there was a feudalsociety, quite often f altered. As a result, France became a platform for national and internecine wars. The country experienced the consequences of the war with England in the 14-15th centuries especially hard. However, it was this war that contributed to the acceleration of the liberation of the peasants from dependence. This was due to the fact that the king needed soldiers. Free peasants could become a resource for a mass mercenary army with artillery. Despite the introduction of redemption, the economic situation of dependent people did not actually improve, since taxes and redemption payments replaced feudal rent.
Agricultural Specialization
It should be noted that by the 14th century, France was conditionally divided into several zones. For example, its central and northern parts were considered the main granary, while the southern part was the base for winemaking. At the same time, the superiority of one of the areas in economic terms began to appear. In particular, the three-field system began to take hold in northern France.
Peculiarities of the development of the English economy
The feudal society of this country had several differences from the French system. In England, the centralization of government was more pronounced. This was due to the conquest of the country by feudal lords in 1066. A general census was carried out. She showed that the structure of a feudal society with estates had been built by that time. However, unlike the French, the English owners were vassals directly to the king. The next feature that English feudal society possessed wasconcerns the technological basis of the estate itself. Favorable seaside ecology contributed to the active development of sheep breeding and the production of raw wool. The latter was the subject of great demand throughout medieval Europe. The sale of wool, which was carried out not only by feudal lords, but also by peasants, contributed to the replacement of serf labor by hired work, and natural quitrent by rent in monetary terms (commutation).
Tipping point
In 1381 there was a popular uprising led by Wat Tyler. As a result, there was an almost complete commutation, and after that, the peasants also bought out their own feudal duties. Virtually all dependent people became personally free by the 15th century. They are divided into two categories: copyholders and freeholders. The former paid rent for allotments, while the latter were considered absolutely free land holders. Thus, a gentry was formed - a new nobility - which conducted economic activities only on hired labor.
Development of the system in Germany
In this country, the structure of feudal society was formed later than in France and England. The fact is that individual regions of Germany were cut off from each other, in connection with this, a single state did not develop. Equally important were the seizures of Slavic lands by German feudal lords. This contributed to a significant increase in the sown area. Over time, internal territorial colonization by peasants of areas east ofElba. They were granted favorable conditions and minimal dependence on the feudal lords. However, in the 15th century, the owners of the estates in the eastern part of Germany, took advantage of the export of grain to England and Holland through the B altic ports and carried out the absolute enslavement of privileged peasants. The owners created extensive plowlands and transferred them to corvee. The term "land beyond the Elbe" came to symbolize the development of late feudalism.
Features of the development of the system in Japan
The economy of this country had many differences from the European one. First of all, in Japan there was no master's plowing. Consequently, there was neither corvée nor serfdom. Secondly, the national economy of Japan operated within the framework of the feudal fragmentation that had developed over many centuries. The country was dominated by small peasant farms based on hereditary land ownership. She, in turn, belonged to the feudal lords. Rice in kind was used as rent. Due to feudal fragmentation, quite a lot of principalities were formed. They were attended by service troops, which consisted of samurai knights. As a reward for their service, the soldiers received a rice ration from the princes. The samurai did not have their own estates. As for the Japanese cities, a feudal system took place in them, as well as in Europe. Craftsmen were united in workshops, merchants - in guilds. Trade was rather poorly developed. The absence of a single market was explained by feudal fragmentation. Japan was closed toforeigners. Manufactories in the country were in their infancy.
Features of the device of the system in Russia
The classes of feudal society took shape quite late compared to other countries. In the 15th century, a service army appeared. It was made up of landowners (nobles). They were the owners of the estates and at their own expense every summer went to forced service. By autumn they were sent home. The transfer of estates was carried out from father to son by inheritance. In accordance with the Council Code of 1649, the peasants were indefinitely attached to the possessions on whose territory they lived, becoming serfs. In Europe, by this time, many of the representatives of this class were becoming free. Rent was a duty. In the 17th century corvee could go up to 4 days a week. By the second half of the 16th century, the formation of large regional markets began, and by the 17th century, trade relations had acquired a national scale. Novgorod became the center in the northwestern part of the state. It was an aristocratic republic dominated by the we althy classes of feudal society. Their representatives, in particular, included merchants and landowners (boyars). The bulk of the Novgorod population consisted of "black people" - artisans. Among the most important livestock markets of that time, it is worth highlighting Yaroslavl, Vologda, Kazan. Moscow was the main center of trade for the entire state. Here they sold furs, silk, woolen products,metal products, bread, lard and other foreign and domestic goods.
Credit Development
Subsistence farming was the main form of business. This is what distinguished early feudal society. Capitalist production began to emerge on the basis of simple cooperation, and then on the basis of manufactory. Money began to participate in servicing simple commodity circulation. These funds participated in the movement of usurious and merchant capital. Banks began to emerge. Initially, they were a storehouse of money. Change business developed. Since the 18th century, settlements on merchant transactions began to spread. In connection with the increase in the needs of states, the budget began to be formed.
Market relations
The development of foreign and domestic trade was significantly influenced by the growth of cities in Western Europe. They formed, first of all, the local market. There was an exchange of products of urban and rural artisans. In the 14th and 15th centuries, single markets began to form. They became in some way the economic centers of the feudal states. London and Paris are among the largest. At the same time, internal trade was rather poorly developed. This was due to the natural nature of the economy. In addition, the development of internal trade was slowed down by fragmentation, due to which duties were collected in each seigniory. Merchants who traded a certain type of product united in guilds. These closed associations regulated the rules and compositionmarket turnover.
