Should the US just return to having fiefs? (It is almost that way now)?

[msc545]

In the Middle Ages, land was distributed by landowners (lords) into units called fiefs. Fiefs were given to poorer citizens, and in return, the citizens pledged military assistance to the lord. The fall of this social hierarchy led to the rise of the middle class.

[ProbablyClueless]

I don't think I'd be overstating anything when I say that we might not have a choice in the matter. The divide between the haves and the have nots is getting a lot wider, and the economic opportunities simply don't exist for most people.

If you go to places like India, the rich hire servants because the poor simply wouldn't have decent work if not for those jobs. I'm worried that that's where we're headed.

The existence of the Middle Class has been an anomaly in human history. It's sad to see it coming to an end =/

[msc545]

Unfortunately, I think you are correct. The middle class in this country is disappearing.

[OddBeMe]

In a way, companies have control over employees as fiefdoms but not really. If you asked an employer they'd love to disconnect health insurance from job benefits.

Monopolies strangely are another thing. Microsoft was infamously split for just being computer and software heavy. But Google? Nah they're fine with 85% of the biz

[emeraldsaphire]

Nope, I don't want to go back to serfdom. Things are pretty good today. Yeah the collage and housing markets have been inflated to extreme amounts, but to fix that all we need to do is repeal all those stupid zoning laws and repeal the predatory student loan system. I'd support student loan forgiveness if that came with the abolishment of government loans and an establishment of separation of finance and state.

[dustybiker2]

I think it was probably done away with for good reason. The one side didn't want to babysit someone on valuable land anymore and the other was tired of being asked for more than fairly given in return.

[Kelley1]

If we haven't already, the US will return to a few having all the power and wealth, and the rest of us will be serfs who must obey.

[Sevenpointfive]

it's so far beyond the fiefdom. i'd consider the owner of an apartment building a vassal to the government (king)

[coachTanthony]

No we just need Blackrock and other companies to stop buying up the real estate market for themselves.

[jshm2]

Don't be silly. Going back to a monarchy model is untenable for most countries.

[Dargil]

How is it that way now? It was in the antebellum South.

[Anonymous]

Don't think the us can return to that as they never had that.

We are heading to feudalism 2.0.