A Return to Feudalism?

In the days of yore in Europe when feudalism reigned we had kings, dukes, earls, counts, viscounts, barons or more basically: kings, Lord and peasants (or serfs). In a kingdom there would be only one king, several Lords and a lot of peasants (90%) who did all the work. It was a system that lasted a very long time; much longer than the American system of democracy. In this system there were free peasants who had independent businesses like carpenters, blacksmiths, bakers, and weavers. These free peasants had plots of land that the paid the Lord rent for their use. The unfree peasants just worked the land earning the right just to live there. What the feudal system did was provide security at the hands of the Lords and the serfs gave up their freedom for that security.

We fought a war to be free of such a system. And we live in a republic, a democracy which is to value the rights and freedoms of all its citizens on an equal basis. At least that was what the founding fathers attempted to create and hand down to ensuing generations.

So, how has that worked out? Today less that 2% of the country own half the wealth of a prosperous country and live lives like, shall we say, Kings/Lords? Many of us are free people believe we own homes and business for which we pay taxes upon; if you don’t pay those taxes you don’t have them; just call it what it is - rent. A great deal of that tax/rent money goes to the upper 2% of the country which is why they have most of the money. With that money they have folk to ensure this system continues, they can be called congressmen or if you please Lords of the land.

Some of these Lords of the land, supposedly elected by the overall populace, believe they are public servants and recall the dreams of the founding fathers and they try create a system to distribute the wealth of the land more equitably. But they lack enough power and money to effectively accomplish those dreams. Most appear to accede the way it goes in politics and just accept the rewards of being a Lord’s vassel.

Supply side economics, brought into our democracy by the Reagan administration and then was furthered by Bush administrations. And thus began the transfer of funds to the Lords of the land via subsidies, tax loopholes, regressive taxes and the lot. And the tradesmen and the tenants began to see their income diminish.

Have we returned to feudalism? Not really, but we have gone a far cry from the vision of the founding fathers and demand side economics that grew this country.

‘Tis it any wonder we have such a fascination with the British royals. But the poor Queen is a mere pauper in today’s world of multi billionaires susch as Bill Gates with 56 Billion and Warren Buffet with $50 billion, with an estimated value of only $420 million.