Changing economies
The mentality of today's worker focuses on not only providing what is necessary to survive for their own life as well as that of their family, but also thrives for a life of luxury and comfort. Society today is based upon principles that promote a strong work ethic that buys us comfort and satisfaction. A capitalistic society, spawned by a growth of industry and a driven force of consumers, is one that encourages luxury and self-fulfillment through material items. On the other end of the spectrum there exists a society of which a person accustomed to the life of free trade and open markets can barely comprehend. This is a life of self-sufficiency, a life in which a community may only produce what is absolutely necessary for survival. This is the self-reliant society where there is nothing to enjoy, the only goal in life is to merely stay alive. There is no surplus, there is no currency used as a means of trade, nor does this society have any consumers trading as they please. Free and open markets are considered to be the key elements in our current time of prosperity. One who is accustomed to such a life of luxury and wealth potential may find it difficult to understand a life of a worker during th
, New York" McGraw Hill, 1997, p118. For example, Manor A produced only corn, Manor B produced only wheat, and Manor C produced potatoes. Peasants, not only had very little to eat, they had no privacy. Most people in today's workforce are middle class. The typical medieval manor was divided into three parts: "The demesne (land allotted to the lord), open fields (land allotted to the serfs), and the commons (land that was open to all). People value material items and purchase products at the price they are willing to pay and provide service of their own part in order to have a medium for exchange of said products. " (Pluta 155) The second classical concept of a capitalist economy is the concept of the division of labor. Serfs farmed the land and gave dues to their nobles, these dues consisted mainly of "grains, chicken, or pigs. People in a capitalist economy own businesses or at least, in many cases own interests in other businesses. The Middle Ages lasted somewhere between the fall of the Roman Empire up until the dawn of European Renaissance.
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