Feudalism is a type of social, economic, political and legal system (such as that in Europe in the Middle Ages) that is primarily based on agricultural production but is productive enough to support a class of artisans and merchants.
Feudal societies were composed of two main social classes: nobles and peasants. The nobility extracted the agricultural surplus from peasants through a systemic tradition, mutual obligation, and brute force (if and when necessary).
There were social hierarchies like the three estates system which was one of the defining characteristics of the feudal realm and they are - the nobility, the clergy and the peasantry. Warriors were among the “nobility” and the “clergymen” were the religious leaders (mostly the priests leading the churches) while the “peasants” were the commoners who traded labour to earn a livelihood and pay taxes.
Three major concepts apart from the warrior nobility that Feudalism revolved around were - lords, vassals and fiefs. “Lords of the manors” were usually VIP landlords owning luxury houses in the Feudal realms, “vassals” were granted the temporary ownership of the estate in exchange for some favours or services, and “fiefs” were the land or property changing hands between lords and vassals.
Use of the Term in Sentences:
- There is hardly a set of words or phrases that can explain Feudalism directly.
- Feudalism was the dominant social and economic system of Europe in Medieval times.
- Feudalism would come somewhat close to the social, economic and political system in the present-day military dictatorships.