Classical Nobles.

[Man of Ethics]

For many centuries prior to the end of XIXth Century, Europe and Russia were ruled by noble classes. Nobles composed about 1% of population and consumed about 20% to 30% of GNP. This enabled most nobles to live comfortable lives at the expense of peasants. In reality, Feudalism gave nobles Positive Rights at the expense of peasants.

Many peasants hated nobles, but nobles were the ones who produced fine arts and scientific discoveries. Even though feudal system was unfair, it gave birth to technology which in turn brought Modern Society.

In West Europe, peasants rented nobles' land but peasants themselves were free. In Russia and East Europe, about 50% of peasants were serfs. As such they had the same legal rights as slaves and were subject to cruelty.

One major difference between American Slavery and Russian Serfdom is that American slaves had work obligation about 2.5 times higher then Russian serfs. American Slavery relied much more on direct violence and compulsion.

 

[Pellinore]

I disagree. There was a huge gap in time between medieval feudalism and the end of the 19th century. England, for example, had its monarchy severely limited by the Magna Carta in 1215, then Henry VII underwent legal changes in the early 16th century, then the whole system was overhauled after the English Civil War in the 17th century. Then, the Act of Union and revolutions is America and France and then the Industrial Revolution, and then we get to the end of the 19th century. The most significant inventions during that time took place after feudalism was either weakened or had been replaced by Early Modern parliamentarian and republican systems.

And even so, even though these great technological steps forward happened during certain systems of government, can you say that they happened because of the system of government? I would say that the greatest advancement that happened because of feudalism was the development of Enlightenment ideals, which is "A Boy Named Sue" thinking, crediting someone who did you wrong with inspiring you to become strong enough to overcome them.

Finally, I don't agree that the most influential inventions came from nobility. Inventors such as Gutenberg and Mercator were working class. Others such as Edward Jenner, Isaac Newton, and William Shakespeare were what we would probably today consider upper middle-class, which is far from nobility. They received good educations, but their achievements were due to how much they built atop those foundations, not from noble favors.

 

[Man of Ethics]

I disagree. There was a huge gap in time between medieval feudalism and the end of the 19th century. England, for example, had its monarchy severely limited by the Magna Carta in 1215, then Henry VII underwent legal changes in the early 16th century, then the whole system was overhauled after the English Civil War in the 17th century. Then, the Act of Union and revolutions is America and France and then the Industrial Revolution, and then we get to the end of the 19th century. The most significant inventions during that time took place after feudalism was either weakened or had been replaced by Early Modern parliamentarian and republican systems.

Thank you -- a more nuanced take then mine. I guess my take is oversimplified.