... note that not defending the serfs (which, of course, also includes organizing them to participate in the defense) means that you are forcing them to learn how to defend themselves ...
... and serfs that learn how to defend themselves do no always remain serfs.

And also, the "son natural steps into his father's shoes" makes a great deal of "natural" sense to people institutionalized in a feudal society, in which when "Earl Lee" and "Count Down" go down in battle, those are positions that are filled, typically by their oldest sons, and then there is a new Earl of Lee and Count of Down. It may be Joe Snooty before the battle as the Early of Lee and Jason Snooty after, but the titled personage survives the death of the person holding the title.


I've been accused of being a Marxist, yet while Harpo's my favourite, it's Groucho I'm always quoting. Odd, that.