The Dark Age

Historical reasons can be found for the decline of the extortion system -- in the west, invasions that toppled the Western Roman Empire and the new dominance of cavalry over infantry -- but in other parts of the world, feudalism developed without those changes. What the different feudalisms have in common is that the village, rather than the family, becomes the unit of production in agriculture. Extortion, either enslavement or violent reprisal when tribute is not sent, becomes so disruptive of the village's productive activity that it becomes impractical. Because of its cohesiveness in production, the village becomes effectively sovereign. It can throw off its subordination to the towns and cities that have formerly exploited it through tribute, and the huge slave-worked family farms of the towns and cities cannot compete with its higher productivity. But the new-found sovereignty of the village means that the larger units that have sponsored "civilization," and resisted barbarian incursions, are no longer viable. A new compromise between armed might and food production must be found, a compromise that is more favorable to the food-producing village. That new compromise is feudalism.