feudal system

[fyood-l sis-tuhm]

noun

1. the political, military, and social system in medieval Europe, based on the holding of lands in fief or fee and on the resulting relations between lord and vassal.

2. a system of political, economic, and social organization similar to the system in the Middle Ages.

   The emancipation of the serfs in 1861 under Alexander II signaled the end of the feudal system in Russia.

Word History and Origins

Origin of feudal system¹

First recorded in 1770–80

Example Sentences

But there are significant differences between then and now: Under the feudal system, the lord had, in principle, certain obligations to peasants in addition to his right to command them.

From Salon

French law enshrined it as a civil right in 1554, while in England, it was an unspoken agreement that reflected the feudal system's delicate balance between the privileged and the poor.

From Salon

Mr Gove has labelled leaseholds "an outdated feudal system that needs to go", and the bill proposes reform to leasehold for new houses.

From BBC

Conservative peer Lord Young, a former minister, said he welcomed the bill but that it did not do what Housing Secretary Michael Gove originally promised - to "liberate people" from "an outdated, feudal system".

From BBC

The largely rural population is scattered over the mountainous landscape, crippled by an entrenched feudal system, under-development and neglect by the local and central government.

From Seattle Times

When To Use

What is a feudal system?

A feudal system (also known as feudalism) is a type of social and political system in which landholders provide land to tenants in exchange for their loyalty and service.Feudalism prevailed in the Middle Ages in Europe and Japan and generally involved a lord (the landowner) allowing vassals (tenants) to rent the land by providing services, especially military service. The parcel of land, called a fief, was typically worked by serfs, laborers who had very few rights and were bound to the land itself.The term feudal system is often used in a much more general way in political rhetoric to indicate an outdated, exploitative system of government. This usage may or may not actually refer to relationships that don't look anything like historical feudal systems.