Corporate Feudalism: The End of Nation States

Feudalism developed in the Middle Ages when communication and transportation were both scarce and unreliable. Kings had little control over the day-to-day affairs of the kingdoms, and most of the power was held by the lords and barons. Borders as we know them did not exist. Instead there was property and allegiances. For example, the Duke of Normandy, William the Conqueror, was a vassal of the King of France. Then he conquered England and became a king in his own right. But he still owed allegiance to the French crown, as did all of the kings of England for generations after. Today we think of France and England as being two separate countries, separated by the English Channel. But that concept is fairly modern. For a good chunk of history, things were a lot more complicated.