A History of Labour

mankind was not so sharply divided into these two classes. The Teutonic invaders of France and of England were in that state of development known as tribal. Their enemies were the dispossessed inhabitants who were reduced to a form of slavery which turned into serfdom. But it would appear that from early times territory rather than blood or kinship became the basis of all social and political power. At an early period we find in existence most of the essential principles of what later became known as the feudal system. At first, of course, there was no Christian Church, but when that Church became established it did endeavour to ameliorate the condition of the unfree classes. Little by little, however, the Church itself became a great landowner, and almost insensibly we find it supporting the land-owning classes in their oppression of the land-worker. The Church, equally with the manorial lords, resisted the rise of the free towns; but despite this powerful opposition forces were at work which enabled a class that at one time was almost entirely destitute of rights to climb slowly up the social ladder, until by the thirteenth century great numbers of the industrial workers had shaken themselves free from their owners and masters and had reached the status of free citizens. The rise of the free towns marks the beginning of the end of the relation of lord and manand the commencement of the era of master and servant. We must therefore attempt to describe shortly t...