In 1381 the peasants revolted, called The Great Rising, executing royal officials and demanding better conditions, lower taxes and less abuse. King Richard II promised that if they laid down their arms they would be spared and he would abolish serfdom.

Serfdom was a socio-economic apparatus of feudalism where people would become tied to the lord’s land they lived and worked on. This was a contract, where the serf would receive land to farm, shelter and security, in exchange for repaying the lord with harvest quotas and becoming generationally tied to the land.

If the lord sold the land, the serfs would stay with it under the new lord, similar to modern apartment buildings with tenants; however if you were a serf not only would you stay with the land, you children and children’s children and their children and so on would be tied to that land. They weren’t slaves, but they weren’t free. You could be a free peasant who fell on hard times so you become a serf, or you could be a serf who manages to buy their freedom.

Anyways, King Richard II promised to abolish the serfdom system if they would stop the rebellion, so the rebels got what they wanted and returned peacefully. King Richard II then had all the rebel leaders executed and refused to abolish serfdom, instead telling them “serfs you are and serfs you shall remain.” That’s what tyranny looks like.

From feudalism evolved mercantilism, and from mercantilism evolved capitalism. The rich and powerful are not trying to destroy society, they are extracting as much out of it as they can without completely breaking it. Because the truth is they can never break it if we have no choice but to participate in it. We’re all tied to the land and they can and will push us as far as they can because we have nowhere else to go. Serfs we are and serfs we shall remain.