Serfs were given limited control, but not true ownership. Unlike slaves, who weren't in control of anything.
There was more than one level of serf. Villeins were allowed to own property; yes, actually own it.
That was my point. Everyone is incapable of thinking about anything except money. Saving penny to lose a dollar.
Owning land is different. It can be a patch of overgrown field in the middle of nowhere, but if it's your own, it's something completely different. It's not about monetary value. Even if one can attribute it to anything, ownership has no price. You can see similar during migration to Americas. Those people wanted land to own. Not out of greed, not necessarily something that would produce optimal wheat yields and have good view, but their own land, something they would never have back home. They left broke on a month-long journey that killed many with that one desire. Most of those were not adventurers or explorers, but simple farmers who had before not left their town or village.
PS. Land does not need to apply to actual land, but to general concept of ownership. Google is making the most of it, any complaint is met with other users saying: "it's free, you're not paying for it, be glad you can use it at all".
Like I said, something to think about, because when you're 70 that fantastic deal you got on 10 free movies from some service won't really matter much. Or that great mortgage on a house.[/quote]
are you sober?
