I did some research on the life of the medieval peasants and found this interesting account. The peasants had a harsh life because they have to pay rent to their lord (who owned the land) and tithes to the church.
And here is the story of the Peasant's Revolt.
And here is the story of the Peasant's Revolt.
6 comments:
Read also concepts of the "Leviathan - Doctrine of the Foundation of States and Legitimate Governments" -
Link :- http://de-leviathan.blogspot.com/2010/07/eradicating-leviathan-mindset.html
According to Hobbes, society is a population beneath a sovereign authority, to whom all individuals in that society cede their natural rights for the sake of protection. Any abuses of power by this authority are to be accepted as the price of peace. However, he also states that in severe cases of abuse, rebellion is expected.
Hence,for example; ordinary older G of Singaporeans also "cede their natural rights" on "land ownership" ... "for the sake of protection" ... not for future generations to borne high BTO flats and EC prices, so that the Govt can profit from land sales...
And JS Smith "On Liberty" :-
"The worth of a State, in the long run, is the worth of the individuals composing it; and a State which postpones the interests of their mental expansion and elevation, to a little more of administrative skill, or of that semblance of it which practice gives, in the details of business; a State which dwarfs its men, in order that they may be more docile instruments in its hands even for beneficial purposes - will find that with small men no great thing can really be accomplished; and that the perfection of machinery to which it has sacrificed everything, will in the end avail it nothing, for want of the vital power which, in order that the machine might work more smoothly, it has preferred to banish."
Link :-
http://de-leviathan.blogspot.com/2009/12/framework-for-thinking-about-civil.html
On Leviathan,
"As long as the individual's right to self-preservation is protected by such a state, we might regard it as acceptable, a necessary evil."...if not...
somwhat true , when i buy SAF insurance, i visit the aviva office at raffles.
A classic example of the "lord", modern day the Govt, and the "the medieval peasants", modern day freehold landowners, could be seen here in Singapore.
All private freehold properties are enviously eyed by our Govt. Take the
compulsory acquisition of those along Marymount Road to make way for the new NS expressway. All those acquired are private condo garden land, terrace houses and the coveted Marymount convent premises, while the neighbouring HDB and HUDC apartments are spared, even those next door to the Convent
land are spared. All those public flats are leasehold, which Govt views as their own properties.
See the blatant discrimination in compulsory acquisition here. It's hypocrisy to say property acquisition is necessary for public use.
Very soon all freehold property would come under the Govt, with the intention to sell years later for profit.
Put it this way, how would Lee Kuan Yew feel if his large house at Oxley road is to be acquired to make way for a bigger road. It would not happen. Why? Because he belongs to the "Lords".
"Private property is the most important guarantee of freedom." -- F.A. Hayek
"Now what liberty can there be where property is taken without consent??" -- Samuel Adams, founding father and leader of the Boston Tea Party
"No freedom is secure if your property rights are not secure."
-- Neal Boortz
"Property must be secured, or liberty cannot exist."
-- John Adams
Reply to 1:01 PM
When private property is priced at the high level in Singapore, it is not freedom but a different from of serfdom. It requires the people to give away a large part of the fruit of their labor for many years into the future.
Dear Mr Tan
Thanks for your kind response. I totally agree with you.
When I posted those quotations I was thinking about HDB flats.
The HDB flats belong to HDB.
And the Singapore urban legend that we have the highest home ownership in the world.
If we subtract off the HDB flats, Singapore probably has one of the lowest home ownership in the world.
I was also thinking about our land acquisition act.
In general, yes, please let us all not overpay for property.
Think global (or at the very least Johor). Land is cheap. It's all a matter of getting the timing and location right.
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