In antiquity and the Middle Ages, one of the most striking features of Europe was poverty. Falling into poverty is a heavy pain for both individuals and nations. Because the poor and the rich are like two very different species, the poor and the rich seem to exist in two very different worlds.
The poverty of medieval Europe was insanely poor. The main causes of this poverty are several:
The barren land and the cold and humid climate: The land in Europe is mostly barren and the climate is cold and humid, and much of the land is not suitable for food cultivation. Compared to China, land yields in Europe are much lower. In the Middle Ages, agriculture was the pillar industry of the country, and grain cultivation was the most important of it. As Europe does not perform well in this regard, poverty is an inevitable fate.
Economic lag led to the introduction of feudal lordship: Due to the economic lag of Europe, they had to implement feudal lordship. In this system, the lord is like a daimyo of the Warring States period of Japan, and below the lord are knights. The lords had their own fiefs and estates, while peasants and serfs could only earn a living by being attached to the lord or knight. Under this system, lords and knights were able to accumulate some wealth to a greater or lesser extent, while peasants and serfs were fortunate not to starve to death, let alone accumulate wealth and hope to get married.
Although only a few commercial city-states such as Italy are relatively developed in the whole of Europe, and there are some smaller commercial cities in the interior of Europe, these cities are equivalent to large bazaars, which can barely sustain the livelihood of some merchants and skilled craftsmen. Although these people lived much better than the serfs, they were still poor, because they were also exploited by the feudal lords.
Despite Europe's poverty, it is slowly developing. Europe is in a state of **, and wars between countries are constantly breaking out, forcing countries to desperately develop, and the goal of this development is to seek wealth. Only with sufficient wealth can the state be strong enough not to be oppressed or annexed by surrounding lords or neighbors.
Poverty has also brought some benefits to Europe, not least a strong desire for money. For the sake of money, Europe resorted to various means. Many systems are built around the pursuit of wealth. At the same time, Europeans were more enthusiastic and obsessed with money and technology than in China and the Arab region of the same period.
During this period, the Holy See peddled indulgences all over Europe, and even the Pope himself participated in the promotion, and openly set up brothels in the city of Rome, which employed 10% of the Roman population. The official positions of the Holy See are also openly sold at a price. In stark contrast, while the Chinese still discuss Confucian morality and see it as a shame to talk about money, Europeans recognized the truth earlier that money is the key to everything.
In general, Europeans are indeed mired in extreme poverty. As long as they can obtain wealth, they are willing to do whatever it takes, and they don't care about the bottom line of any human morality and law. When Europeans realized this truth, Catholic preaching became impossible to deceive, and the dawn of modern history began to appear.
With Venice, Genoa, and the Ottoman Empire monopolizing the Mediterranean**, Portugal and Spain began expeditions in Africa and the Americas, hoping to gain wealth from overseas. As a result, they succeeded in achieving this goal. Portugal found spices and ** in Africa, and also found India. At the same time, Spain discovered rich gold and silver deposits in the Americas. In the 16th century, Spain plundered 83% of the world's gold and silver from the Americas, making it the richest country in Europe.
Spain, which held a large amount of gold and silver, bought heavily in Europe, and gold and silver flowed into various countries, making the once poor Europe gradually rich. The history that followed is well known, and Britain rose to prominence and occupied more colonies. Due to the excessive concentration of wealth in Britain, this inspired a boom in commerce and crafts, which eventually led to the Industrial Revolution.
The Industrial Revolution completely changed the fate of the European powers, sweeping them across the globe.
Of course, from Spain to Portugal to England, this rise has been fraught with countless crimes. But in the previous poverty, they seemed to have no choice.
Summary: Europe's rise to prominence was born out of extreme poverty, which made Europeans realize the preciousness of money, and money became the essence of everything. As a result, Europe did whatever it took to gain wealth in its colonies, and eventually achieved its rise. You can also share your own opinions.
This article profoundly examines the state of poverty in Europe during the ancient and medieval periods, and how this poverty contributed to Europe's rise. The author describes the poverty of Europe in vivid language, giving the reader a clearer understanding of the history of Europe.
First of all, the article points out that the barren land and harsh climate in Europe have become one of the important reasons for Europe's poverty. Compared to land-rich countries such as China, Europe's land is not suitable for growing food, which results in much lower grain yields than in other regions. This has plunged Europe into an agricultural dilemma, and the underdevelopment of agriculture as a pillar industry has become one of the direct causes of poverty in Europe.
Second, the article reveals that the economic lag of Europe led to the implementation of the feudal lord system. This system made social classes distinct, and serfs depended on lords or knights in order to earn a living. Under this feudal system, the gap between the rich and the poor widened further, making poverty a common phenomenon in European society. At the same time, only feudal lords and knights were able to accumulate wealth, while peasants and serfs were unable to achieve economic improvement, which worsened the gap between the rich and the poor in society.
The article also highlights Europe's development in poverty. Poverty forces countries to desperately develop in order to obtain wealth as the main engine of development. This is reflected in the great state of Europe, where countries are forced to develop their economies and constantly go to war in order to survive and defend against foreign enemies. This impoverished development, though difficult, ultimately fueled the rise of Europe.
The article concludes by mentioning some of the positive factors that poverty has brought to Europe. Due to the thirst for money, Europeans were willing to do anything in their pursuit of wealth, which was reflected in some institutions, such as the papal peddling of indulgences. This idea of the primacy of money contrasts sharply with that of China and Arabia at the same time, making Europe more active and open in terms of business and **.
Overall, this article sheds light on how poverty drove Europe's rise through an in-depth analysis of the phenomenon of poverty in Europe in antiquity and the Middle Ages. The article has a clear point of view and clear logic, which makes the reader think deeply about European history.
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