In today’s society, we work and pay taxes to the government. In return, they should be taking care of us – by paying for public services. Everything from straight roads to paying for police to protect us and the military to save us from foreign dangers.
In the medieval period, we had a system that was known as the Feudal system in which, as workers, we worked and then paid the landowners, who in turn paid their lords and again paid the monarchy. In return, those above would provide services but wouldn’t do much.
With self-proclaimed pay rises and fiddled expenses made by the government of today, it begs the question. Is today’s government a modern form of the Feudal System?
Mr. Bland from Kilwinning in Scotland says that the government is not quite like the Feudal System due to an underclass created by the benefits system.
He went on to quote: “Modern society within the Western World has now created a class below working class called the ‘Under class’. Where the working class contributed to the Feudal System, in modern times it is believed that the underclass does not. The difference between medieval times and modern times is that we have a welfare system that created this underclass. For example, why would you work for food when you can receive it for nothing.? Why work for anything for that matter if you can obtain it on the same basis?”
Janice Michniewicz from Gainsborough in Lincolnshire believes that both ideals are similar since instead of paying taxes from the land, in modern society the taxes are monetary instead.
She went on to quote: “The higher classes and government leaders make policies that ensure the working man is kept poor, while the rich and powerful gain more money. Instead of producing from the strip of land, they charge taxes and then do not put money back into society. Therefore, ensuring the working classes have little opportunity to progress in life.”
Miss Michniewicz then compared both systems by quoting “Wonder which one of them would care for the vulnerable, personal hygiene and giving medication for £9.50 per hour, they cannot comprehend or understand the frustration and lack of respect a parent feels when they cannot earn enough money to feed their family and must use food banks.”
Ewan from Lochwinnoch added his opinion quoting: “Workers do the labour and capitalists take most of the fruits of the labour. Capitalists have more political sway because of their money, but it’s not the same”
So, with many dividing opinions, is the question answered? Well, in conclusion: there are many facets of history in our society. From surgeons being referred to as Mr or Mrs instead of doctor, due to the job being done by barbers in the medieval period. The fact that Latin is spoken in some places and our language. Farmers still use acres from the Saxon period and the fact that we still have a jury of our peers which was created for peasants to judge themselves. So, it can be debated that some things have changed, there are still many things in the government reminiscent of the Feudal System which started all those centuries ago.