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Feudalism vs Fiefdom - What's the difference?

feudalism | fiefdom |

As nouns the difference between feudalism and fiefdom

is that feudalism is a social system based on personal ownership of resources and personal fealty between a suzerain (lord) and a vassal (subject). Defining characteristics are direct ownership of resources, personal loyalty, and a hierarchical social structure reinforced by religion while fiefdom is the estate controlled by a feudal lord; a fief.

feudalism

Noun

  • A social system based on personal ownership of resources and personal fealty between a suzerain (lord) and a vassal (subject). Defining characteristics are direct ownership of resources, personal loyalty, and a hierarchical social structure reinforced by religion.
  • See also

    * capitalism * communism * monarchy * peasant * serf * suzerain * vassal

    fiefdom

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • The estate controlled by a feudal lord; a fief.
  • The duke's fiefdom had been greatly expanded as a reward for his dutiful military service on behalf of the king.
  • (by extension, mostly, pejorative) Any organization in the control of a dominant individual.
  • Most of our company's computers are standardized, but the IT director allows the employees in his own little fiefdom to specify their own machines.
  • * {{quote-news
  • , year=2012 , date=April 23 , author=Angelique Chrisafis , title=François Hollande on top but far right scores record result in French election , work=the Guardian citation , page= , passage=Hollande told cheering supporters in his rural fiefdom of Corrèze in south-west France that he was best-placed to lead France towards change, saying the vote marked a "rejection" of Sarkozy and a "sanction" against his five years in office.}}