View single post by Widow
 Posted: Wed Oct 8th, 2008 09:47 pm
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Widow
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Joined: Tue Sep 19th, 2006
Location: Oakton, Fairfax County, VA
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Mana: 
 There is a major difference between serfdom and slavery.

Slaves were movable property, like livestock.  They could be bought and sold and taken to live elsewhere.

Serfs weren't property.  They had no cash value.  Instead, they were tied to the land, and couldn't leave it.  They couldn't be sold off to raise cash.  The Tsar untied them.  True, most of them didn't leave because they had nowhere to go and had lived there for generations.  But it was no longer a crime to leave, and some went their own way.

Patty aka Widow