The end of serfdom in America?

William Nelson15 said:I recall reading that serfdom in America was officially abolished on April 25, 1848.
But I find myself struggling to understand how we, as a people, allowed ourselves to effectively reinstate it in the 21st century—and not even in its original form, but in an even more predatory variation.

Back then, the situation was this: "...The tax obligations of peasant serfs varied from one landlord to another, yet their dues generally amounted to one-ninth of the land's produce given to the feudal lord and one-tenth given to the Church. All in all, the position of the peasant serf was by no means comfortable, as these dues had to be settled regardless of weather conditions, poor harvests, or the diseases that frequently devastated an already malnourished population."
On top of that, the peasant was also required to pay state taxes, which could be both regular and extraordinary..." — copied from Wikipedia.

So, 10% to the church, 11% to the government, plus whatever emergency levies they decide to slap on us... That’s a minimum of 21% of one's income gone.

It seems to me that we are currently in the process of reverting back to being nothing more than serfs.
With sales tax sitting at 23%, and once you factor in gross pay deductions, I’m looking at a 25% levy right off the top...

Historically, serfs worked land that belonged to the feudal lords. So, aren't we just moving backward? It makes me wonder just how much real estate today is actually owned by major banks or tied up in mortgages.
Essentially, the church remains the church, and the feudal lords have simply been replaced by banks. And those banks will likely transfer ownership to foreign interests, or lease it back to modern American serfs under absolutely lethal terms.

I recently bought a small item online, and it ended up costing me $67 including shipping... On top of that, there were postal fees, customs, and God knows who else I had to pay $34! We are talking about a 50% markup in levies! I called several numbers at the post office, and every time I asked for the full name of the official I was speaking with, I was met with nothing but a first name, or worse, a dismissive "Oh, it doesn't matter, I'm just a clerk"... Well, there you have it, the lady clerk...
Why is it that in this country, nobody wants to take any actual responsibility for what they do?

Where are we headed? I am profoundly disillusioned with this country.

THAT IS CALLED freedom and democracy now, so why are you complaining? 🙂 🤣😂

Look, I never actually suggested that we were going to see a literal return to medieval serfdom, but my point remains: a modern version of it is creeping in. As society shifts, we are seeing the emergence of a new class of peasant-slaves—people who are being manipulated from every possible angle within this entire farce of a republic.
The laws themselves have become completely irrational; the average American can’t make sense of them, and no government official seems capable of explaining them either. We’ve essentially been left to fend for ourselves, wandering through internet forums where everyone just shouts whatever nonsense they feel like.

To pivot slightly off-topic, though it’s relevant to the core of this debate: is it remotely normal that in 2011, in an era where information travels instantaneously, you call a federal agency and they tell you it’s simply "not the right time" for inquiries every other Monday?!
Honestly, they might as well just start a damn Facebook group and commit to responding to queries within an hour!

William Nelson15 said:Look, I never actually suggested that we were going to see a literal return to medieval serfdom, but my point remains: a modern version of it is creeping in. As society shifts, we are seeing the emergence of a new class of peasant-slaves—people who are being manipulated from every possible angle within this entire farce of a republic.
The laws themselves have become completely irrational; the average American can’t make sense of them, and no government official seems capable of explaining them either. We’ve essentially been left to fend for ourselves, wandering through internet forums where everyone just shouts whatever nonsense they feel like.

To pivot slightly off-topic, though it’s relevant to the core of this debate: is it remotely normal that in 2011, in an era where information travels instantaneously, you call a federal agency and they tell you it’s simply "not the right time" for inquiries every other Monday?!
Honestly, they might as well just start a damn Facebook group and commit to responding to queries within an hour!

Well, what do you expect when you're dealing with elderly clerks who struggle to use a basic desktop computer? Plus, you're still fighting that old-school, bureaucratic mentality left over from the socialist era...