Editing Traditional authority (section)

===Feudalism===
When compared to patrimonialism, [[feudalism]] has one major similarity and several important differences.

The similarity is that both are based on tradition and have powerful rulers who grant rights in return for military and administrative services.

The differences are important for the subtler distinction:
* feudalism replaces the paternal relationship of patrimonialism by a contract of allegiance based on knightly militarism.
* the patrimonial ruler's grants of authority and the personal dependence of official are replaced in feudalism by the contractual freedom, personal allegiance and socioeconomic prominence on the part of the vassals.