End of Feudalism: A completely overlooked revolution

In school education we are taught that feudalism was an extremely cruel and brutal social system that caused immeasurable human suffering and great misery. This presentation is fundamentally correct and is confirmed by the historical facts. At that time the so-called feudal lords and the nobility had absolute power over the land; hercontrolled the resources, the means of production and the political structures. The people who lived in this system at the time – the so-called serfs or landlords – were obliged to pay them taxes in the form of leases, interest, tithes and labor. These obligations were often extremely stressful and gave common people little room for aself-determined life. The social fabric was strictly organized hierarchically, and the majority of the population lived in poverty, dependence and permanent oppression.

The Myth: The End of Feudalism by Capitalism

Contrary to the widespread narrative that it was the rise of capitalism that finally ended the feudal system, historical truth shows a different picture. It was not the economic development of capitalism that overcame feudalism, but rather a remarkable social and political change, which was based on the courageous struggle of along tradition of everyday revolutionaries – courageous people, who often acted in secret – is due. These revolutionary movements that have emerged in Europe over the centuries have never been in the spotlight, but are of fundamental importance. As early as the early 14th century, ordinary people across Europe began to oppose the existing feudal systemoppose. They refused to perform, and refused to pay interest and tithes raised by the feudal lords and the Church, and increasingly demanded control over the land they cultivated. This was not sporadic complaints or individual complaints, but an organized resistance that arose on a broad basis.

Middle Ages uprisings and military resistance

In some cases, this resistance developed into open military conflicts. In 1323, peasants and workers in Flanders took up arms to take action against their feudal lords. This uprising lasted five years before the rebels were finally crushed by the well-organized troops of the Flemish nobility. Similar revolts also occurred in other places in Europeon, including in cities like Bruges, Ghent, Florence, Liège and Paris. These early revolts were mostly unsuccessful, as the rebellions were often smashed by well-armed and organized troops. With the outbreak of the Black Plague in 1347, the situation was even worse: The plague demanded about a third of the European population and led to aunprecedented social and political crisis. The society was deeply shaken by the plague, and the crisis opened up a new opportunity for ordinary people.

The Pest as a turning point: power shift in favor of the people

However, after this devastating catastrophe, something unexpected happened: the labor shortage caused by the plague and the abundance on land led to the farmers and workers suddenly receiving a much stronger bargaining power. They were able to demand lower leases for the country and enforce higher wages for their work. The feudal lords found themselves ina defensive position, since the power in society was slowly but surely shifted in favor of the common people. This development was a historical turning point, because ordinary people realized that this was their opportunity to fundamentally change social conditions.

Uprisings and revolts: the pursuit of fundamental change

This moment was the beginning of a variety of movements that aimed to overcome the existing order. Their hope for change grew, the self-confidence of the common people increased significantly, and the rebellions gained momentum. In England, Wat Tyler led a peasant revolt in 1381 inspired by the radical preacher John Ball, who became famous for hisprompt: “Now the time has come when you can throw off the yoke of bondage and regain freedom if you want.” In 1382, an armed group of workers and peasants managed to take over political power in the Italian city of Ciompi. In 1413, too, a so-called “worker democracy” emerged in Paris, which for a while control over thecity obtained. In 1450, a large army of English peasants and workers marched to London, which later became known as Jack Cade’s Rebellion. During this time, entire regions rose, joined forces and tried to establish a new, more just social order.

The Revolution of the Farmers: The aim of a fundamental redesign

Around the middle of the 15th century, armed struggles between peasants and feudal lords broke out in large parts of Western Europe. The demands of the rebels moved away from mere reform approaches to a comprehensive revolutionary goal: the complete abolition of the feudal power relations. The historian Silvia Federici describes this movement as one that not only smallEnhanced improvements, but the “power of the feudal lords to break.” Although many uprisings were brutally knocked down – Wat Tyler and John Ball were executed along with about 1,500 of their followers – the movement ultimately led to the abolition of serfdom in many regions.

The transition to freedom: abolish serfdom and obtain land control

In England, serfdom was almost completely eliminated after the 1381 revolts. The former serfs became free farmers who cultivated their own land and had access to commons such as meadows, forests and water. They worked for a wages when they needed extra income and were rarely bound in forced labor. In GermanyThe farmers controlled almost 90 percent of the country, which gave them a significant influence on agricultural production and society.

Social and ecological renewal through the decay of feudalism

Even in regions where feudal structures remained, the conditions for the peasants improved significantly. With the decline of feudalism, a new, egalitarian form of society was created, based on principles of self-sufficiency and local cooperation. This revolution led to remarkable improvements in the welfare of ordinary people: the wagesrose to historical peaks, in some regions they even doubled or tripled; In some cases, they reached sixfold. At the same time, the leases fell, the prices for food were cheaper and the diet improved significantly. The workers were able to work shorter working hours, free weekends and additional benefits such as meals onNegotiate workplace and mileage allowances. Women’s wages also increased significantly, which significantly reduced the gender-specific wage gap, which was still very pronounced in feudalism. In this context, historians speak of a “golden age of the European proletariat” between 1350 and 1500.

Ecological renewal: The decline in environmental destruction

At the same time, this time was also a “golden age” for the European environment. Feudalism had caused an ecological catastrophe: the feudal lords drove the farmers to clear forests, use agriculturally and exploit resources without regard to nature. This led to massive deforestation, overgrazing and a creeping soil degradation. but theFarmers’ revolution after 1350 brought about a U-turn: the farmers were able to manage more sustainably by controlling their land. They managed pastures, forests and commons collectively, according to democratically worked out rules. This ecological renewal led to the soil slowly regenerating, forests reviving and the environment back into balance. This became oneSustainable relationship between man and nature possible, which had previously been destroyed by the exploitation of resources.