Middle Ages Regents Practice

The feudal system primarily relied on which social class for labor?

1. Nobility

2. Serfs

3. Merchants

4. Clerics

The correct answer is: Serfs

The feudal system primarily relied on serfs for labor because they constituted the bottom tier of the social hierarchy during the Middle Ages. Serfs were typically peasants who worked the land owned by nobles in exchange for protection and the right to work a portion of the land for their own subsistence. This arrangement established a system of mutual obligation essential to feudalism: the serfs provided labor and agricultural production, ensuring the economic stability of the lord’s estate, while the nobles provided protection and land tenure. Nobility, while crucial in the feudal hierarchy as landowners, did not engage in labor themselves. Their role focused on governance, military service, and managing their estates. Merchants were part of a different economic and social class, engaging in trade and commerce, and did not rely on the feudal structure for their livelihood. Clerics, while influential within the social structure, were primarily concerned with religious and spiritual guidance rather than agricultural labor. Thus, the dependence of the feudal system on serfs as the primary labor force is fundamental to understanding the social dynamics of that historical period.