Why You Own Less Than a Medieval Peasant

Because the economy is no longer under the Church! From Medieval Mindset

Most people think medieval peasants lived miserable lives with nothing to their name. But here’s the shocking truth: in many ways, they owned more than we do today. In this video, we’ll explore how the rise of techno-feudalism has concentrated wealth and power into fewer hands than ever before, leaving ordinary people with less control over their lives than a peasant in the Middle Ages. We’ll compare feudalism, capitalism, and techno-feudalism, break down how ownership of land, housing, and even digital goods has changed, and uncover why today’s system might be worse than medieval feudalism. If you’ve ever felt trapped by debt, subscriptions, rent, or corporate control, this deep dive will show you how history might not be as backward as we think—and why our future is starting to look a lot like the past. Timestamps: 0:00 Intro: Techno-feudalism explained 0:51 The myth of the powerless peasant 1:35 The Black Death & failed labor laws 4:35 Data taxes and digital serfdom 5:40 Medieval freedom & community vs online life 7:07 Medieval Catholicism & religious culture 8:38 Fragmented medieval power vs tech monopolies 11:59 Conclusion: Why techno-feudalism is worse Works Cited:

• Chaucer, Geoffrey. The Canterbury Tales. Edited by Jill Mann, Penguin Classics, 2005.

• Charlemagne. Capitulary of 802 (General Admonition). Translated in Medieval Sourcebook, edited by Paul Halsall, Fordham University, 1996, sourcebooks.fordham.edu.

• Louis X of France. Ordinance on the Liberation of Serfs, 1315. Translated in Medieval Sourcebook, edited by Paul Halsall, Fordham University, 1996, sourcebooks.fordham.edu.

• Tuchman, Barbara. A Distant Mirror: The Calamitous 14th Century. Alfred A. Knopf, 1978.

• Varoufakis, Yanis. Technofeudalism: What Killed Capitalism. Melville House, 2023.