Europe today.The weakness of feudalism was exposed early in its existence. Problems in inheritance became a severe weakness. If a lord could not bargain or keep a deal he and the vassal previously agreed on, the feudal contract was violated. In the event that this happened, the personal trust and nature of the feudal contract was gravely eroded. Also, the fact that the lords could field an army so quickly was detrimental to a central governing body. Another problem with feudalism was the conception of homage. A man who was a vassal of more than one lord would chose one as his supreme lord. This once again undermined the feudal contract that was vitaly important to the system. Personal loyalty was pushed aside for individual satisfaction. Strong lordships, such as kings in France and England, plagued the local governments that were necessary for a healthy feudal system. The constant division of land and ownership due too subinfeudation and inheritance, would further lead to the decay of the feudalism.Feudalism would survive beyond the close of feudal inhabitancy in 1660. The influence remains in present day Europe. Feudal remnants remain in English constitution. The main concept of twentieth century libertarianism stems from the feudal revolution. The idea of private ownership and rights of the individual are directly taken from the feudalism. Centralized government exposes the short comings of feudalism. For feudalism to last eight centuries, was remarkable. To think that Europe could be ruled on the bases of verbal commitment and trust was extraordinary. ...
