Editing Examples of feudalism (section)

=== Russia ===
In contrast to [[Western Europe]] where feudalism created a strong central power, it took a strong central power to develop feudalism in Russia. A lack of true central power weakened and doomed the Russians to outside domination. The Russians developed its system of land/lord/worker, loosely called feudalism, after it had created a strong central power. Lacking a feudal system of [[vassal]] loyalty made it impossible for any prince, early on, to gain enough influence and power to project a strong force against any invaders.

In contrast to other European forms of [[serfdom]] and [[feudalism]] there was a lack of vassalage and loyalty to the lord whose land the serfs worked. It took a much longer period for feudalism to develop but when it did it took on a much harsher form than elsewhere in Europe. Serfs had no rights whatsoever; they could be traded like livestock by their lords. They had no ownership of anything, including their own families, all of which belonged to their lord.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Roth |first1=Mitchel P. |title=An Eye for an Eye A Global History of Crime and Punishment |date=2014 |publisher=[[Reaktion Books]] |isbn=9781780233819 |page=98}}</ref>

Another major difference was the lack of independent principalities; this was due to the lack of vassalage. Separate lords did not command their troops to protect their lands.<ref name="Blum">{{cite book |last=Blum |first=Jerome |title=Lord and Peasant in Russia: From the 9th to the 19th Century |title-link=Lord and Peasant in Russia |location=Princeton |publisher=[[Princeton University Press]] |date=1961 |isbn=9780691007649}}</ref>