Compare/contrast essay
From about the 6th century onward, feudalism played a key part in the rise of western Europe, allowing lords to unite local regions, control large territories, and eventually create a monarchy; Japan used feudalism for the same purposes at around the time when feudalism in Europe was at it's peak. Feudalism in western Europe was quite similar to that in Japan in the fact that they were both highly militaristic, however, Europe had layers in hierarchy and emphasized more focus on contractual ideas; Japan pushed harder towards group and individual loyalties. The fact that this system developed independantly within two countries that had no contact with each other is because it was an efficient way of governing a large territory. Today, Europe is still regionalized as it was in the Feudal Age.
Feudal Europe made great advancements in the area of agriculture, designing the moldboard, a tougher version of the plow, and even creating the three field system, allowing farmers in Europe to utilize crop rotation. Manorialism, the political, economic, social system which peasants of medieval Europe were made dependent on their land and on their lord. Merchants in western Europe were on the higher end of the social hierarchy already established within Europe, and the hierarchy in Europe had layers to it, meaning it had a social hierarchy in it's classes, and it also had one within the church. The Feudal hierarchy in Europe when it came to society was that the kings controlled money and security, Nobles controlled agriculture, Merchants controlled trade, Priests controlled behavior, and Serfs controlled nothing but served as the labor force. The knights of Europe were bound more by contracts and the promise of land rather than Japan's Samurai who bound themselves by honor.
Feudal Japan was characterized most by it's aesthetic magnificence and the reigning warrior period. Japan held beauty in the highest esteem, and wrote some of the first novels including The Tale of Genji and The Pillow Book. Feudalism in Japan was a little different than Europe because the emperor was often the figurehead, and did not always actually rule. Merchants in Japan were on the bottom of the social ladder, unlike in Europe where merchants were on the higher end of the social classes the reason why is because Japan's religion, Buddhism, is against material things whereas Christianity in Europe was more focused upon. The Code of Bushido characterized the warriors, or samurai, of Japan by establishing an honor system where fidelity, simplicity, virility, and politeness were held very highly.
Out of the two Feudal Europe is the more memorable because of the incredibly powerful and important society that developed from the Feudal Age. Of course it is impossible to deny that feudal Japan also made great advancements concerning the subjects of literature and artistry. However, possibly due to geography, Europe became more powerful than any other civilization of that time.
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