Feudal society was considered an almost universal form of government for Eurasia. Most of the peoples who inhabited it went through this system. Next, we consider in more detail what constituted a feudal society.
Characteristic
Despite certain changes in the relationship between the consumer and the manufacturer, the latter remained unconditionally dependent on the former. The feudal slave society was based on a certain method of conducting economic activity. 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 board), quitrent (products) or expressed in money. The size of the rent was firmly established. This gave the direct producer a certain freedom in conducting his economic activities. These features of feudal society were especially pronounced during the transition to monetary forced payments. In this case, the freedom of the farmer was expressed in the ability to sell their products themselves.
Signs of feudal society
You can highlight the characteristic features of such a society:
- the prevalence of subsistence farming;
- a combination of small peasant land use and large feudal land tenure;
- personal dependence of the direct producer. Non-economic forced labor and product distribution;
- routine and obsolete state of technology;
- the presence of rental relations (forced payments were made for the use of land).
However, specific features of feudal society were noticeable:
- the dominance of a religious worldview (in this historical period, the church played a special role);
- feudal society was distinguished by the broad development of corporate organizations;
- hierarchical structure;
- estates of feudal society existed.
Classic model
The most vividly feudal society was developed in France. However, this system was more extended to the state, rather than the economic structure of the country. Nevertheless, it was precisely 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 the redistribution of forced payments between the layers of the dominant estate. By order of the suzerain, the vassals collected the militia at their own expense. It guarded the limits and represented, in fact, an apparatus for the extra-economic coercion of peasants. Such a system, according to which a feudal society existed, often failed. As a result, France became a platform for national and internecine wars. The country was experiencing especially severe consequences of the war with England of the 14-15th centuries. 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. It was precisely free peasants who could become a resource for a mass hired army with artillery. Despite the introduction of foreclosures, the economic situation of dependent people did not actually improve, since feudal rents replaced tax and redemption payments.
Agricultural specialization
It should be noted that already by the 14th century France was conditionally divided into several zones. For example, its central and northern parts were considered the main granary, the southern - the base of winemaking. At the same time, the superiority of one of the areas in economic terms began to manifest itself. In particular, a three-field system began to be approved in Northern France.
Features of the development of the economy of England
The feudal society of this country had several differences from the French system. In England, centralization of management was more pronounced. This was due to the conquest of the country by the feudal lords in 1066. A general census was conducted. She showed that the structure of feudal society with estates was built by then. However, unlike the French, the English owners were vassals of the king himself. The next feature possessed by English feudal society concerns the technological basis of the estate itself. Favorable coastal ecology contributed to the active development of sheep husbandry 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 wage labor, and the natural rent by rent in monetary terms (commutation).
Crucial moment
In 1381, a popular uprising took place under the leadership of Wat Tyler. As a result, almost complete commutation took place, and after that the peasants bought out their own feudal duties. Almost all addicted people became personally free by the 15th century. They were divided into two categories: copy-holders and free-holders. 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 activity only on wage labor.
System Development in Germany
In this country, the structure of feudal society was formed later than in France and England. The fact is that separate regions of Germany were torn from each other, in this regard, a single state did not work out. Of no small importance were the seizures of Slavic lands by German feudal lords. This contributed to a significant increase in sown area. Over time, internal territorial colonization by peasants of areas east of the Elbe began to develop. They were given preferential conditions and minimal dependence on the feudal lords. However, in the 15th century, the owners of estates in the eastern part of Germany, took advantage of the export of bread to England and the Netherlands through the Baltic ports and carried out the absolute enslavement of privileged peasants. The owners created extensive plows and transferred them to corvee. The term "land beyond the Elbe" began 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 plow. Consequently, there was no corvee, nor serfdom. Secondly, the national economy of Japan acted within the framework of feudal fragmentation that has developed over many centuries. The country was dominated by small peasant farms based on hereditary ownership of land. She, in turn, belonged to the feudal lords. Natural rent in the form of rice acted as rent. Due to feudal fragmentation, many principalities were formed. They were attended by service troops, which consisted of samurai knights. As a reward for their service, soldiers received rations from the princes. Samurai did not have their estates. As for the Japanese cities, a feudal system took place in them, just like in Europe. Craftsmen were united in workshops, merchants in the guild. Trade was rather poorly developed. The lack of a single market was due to feudal fragmentation. Japan was closed to foreigners. Manufactories in the country were in their infancy.
Features of the system in Russia
The classes of feudal society took shape quite late in comparison with other countries. In the 15th century a service army appeared. It was composed of landowners (nobles). They were the owners of estates and, at their own expense, went to forced service every summer. By the fall, they were released home. The transfer of estates was carried out from father to son by inheritance. In accordance with the Council Code of 1649, peasants were indefinitely attached to the possessions in whose territory they lived, becoming serfs. In Europe, by this time, many of the representatives of this estate were becoming free. The service rent was a duty. In the 17th century, corvée could reach 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. In the northwestern part of the state, Novgorod became the center. It was an aristocratic republic dominated by the wealthy 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. The main center of trade for the entire state was Moscow. 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 distinguished early feudal society. Capitalist production began to arise on the basis of simple cooperation, and then manufacturing. Money began to take part in servicing simple commodity circulation. These funds participated in the movement of usurious and merchant capital. Banks began to arise. Initially, they were a repository of money. Change business developed. Since the 18th century, calculations for merchant operations began to spread. In connection with the increasing needs of states, a budget began to be formed.
Market relations
The development of foreign and domestic trade was significantly influenced by the growth of cities in Western European territory. They formed, first of all, the local market. Here, the exchange of products of urban and rural artisans. In the 14-15th centuries, single markets began to form. They became, in a way, the economic centers of feudal states. Among the largest should be noted London and Paris. At the same time, domestic trade was rather poorly developed. This was due to the natural nature of the economy. In addition, the development of domestic trade was slowed down by fragmentation, due to which duties were collected in each seigneur. Merchants selling a certain type of product merged into guilds. These closed associations regulated the rules and composition of the market turnover.