I originally posted this last July of 2008, and I re-posted it back in January to promote a Home Rule Ballot question, but I’m re-posting it just for fun. The a Podcast that gives you an audio version of this post is a bit dated, but when you think about it, the timing is always right because Illinois is still a wonderful example of a Feudal State masquerading as a “constitutional republic.”
Here is the Podcast.
Read on for more…
Obviously, we’ve come a long way since Medieval times, but here in Illinois, we’ve actually reverted back to a Feudal System. Read the Wikipedia description of Feudalism below, and the only thing missing are the crossbows and trebuchets.
Before a lord could grant land (a fief) to someone, he had to make that person a vassal. This was done at a formal and symbolic ceremony called a commendation ceremony composed of the two-part act of homage and oath of fealty. During homage, the lord and vassal entered a contract in which the vassal promised to fight for the lord at his command. Fealty comes from the Latin fidelitas and denotes the fidelity owed by a vassal to his feudal lord. “Fealty” also refers to an oath that more explicitly reinforces the commitments of the vassal made during homage. Such an oath follows homage. Once the commendation was complete, the lord and vassal were now in a feudal relationship with agreed-upon mutual obligations to one another. (Perfectly describes the REAL process when one decides to run for office)
The lord’s principal obligation was to grant a fief, or its revenues, to the vassal; (Patronage jobs, kickbacks, ghost payroll and pensions for the family) the fief is the primary reason the vassal chose to enter into the relationship. In addition, the lord sometimes had to fulfil other obligations to the vassal and fief. One of those obligations was its maintenance. (increased budgets, regardless of need) Since the lord had not given the land away, only loaned it, it was still the lord’s responsibility to maintain the land, while the vassal had the right to collect revenues generated from it. Another obligation that the lord had to fulfill was to protect the land and the vassal from harm. (knocking opponents off the ballot, restricting alternative parties)
The vassal’s principal obligation to the lord was to provide “aid”, or military service. (Organization, Campaign Funds)Using whatever equipment the vassal could obtain by virtue of the revenues from the fief, (Income, gas, utility, property, income, & sales taxes, user fees) the vassal was responsible to answer to calls to military service on behalf of the lord. This security of military help was the primary reason the lord entered into the feudal relationship. (Party organization, 4 tops campaign cash) In addition, the vassal sometimes had to fulfill other obligations to the lord. (Kill that bill) One of those obligations was to provide the lord with “counsel”, so that if the lord faced a major decision, such as whether or not to go to war, he would summon all his vassals and hold a council. (The caucus meeting) The vassal may have been required to yield a certain amount of his farm’s output to his lord. The vassal was also sometimes required to grind his own wheat and bake his own bread in the mills and ovens owned and taxed by his lord.
The land-holding relationships of feudalism revolved around the fief (Districts, Contracts, Protection from Competition). Depending on the power of the granting lord, grants could range in size from a small farm (1 or 2 patronage jobs) to a much larger area of land (Grant Park). The size of fiefs was described in irregular terms quite different from modern area terms; see medieval land terms. The lord-vassal relationship was not restricted to members of the laity; bishops and abbots, for example, were also capable of acting as lords (Jerimiah Wright, Jesse Jackson, Pfather Pfleger over their Alinski-ite shock troops).
There were thus different ‘levels’ of lordship and vassalage. (State Reps AND Senators! Township Bureaucrats, School Board drones, Superintendents) The King was a lord who loaned fiefs (Education Monopolies, TIF monies) to aristocrats (Walgreens, Boeing, Teacher’s Unions), who were his vassals. Meanwhile the aristocrats were in turn lords to their own vassals, (IBRT, The Chamber, teachers) Knights who were in turn lords of the manor to the peasants (Taxpayers) who worked on the land. Ultimately, the Emperor was a lord who loaned fiefs to Kings, who were his vassals. This traditionally formed the basis of a ‘universal monarchy’ as an imperial alliance and a world order. (Disorder?!)
It would be funny if it wasn’t 100% accurate. The only thing missing from this picture is the peasants with pitchforks (Illinois Citizens) storming the Bastille. How do you storm the Bastille? Elect Adam Andrzejewski Governor, that’s how.