Renaissance era (XVI century) Widespread Understanding and Feudalism
The seeds of this renaissance era actually existed in the late middle age second part, the end of the middle age after the crusades.
So the renaissance era began in the middle of the second half of the century until the end of the XVI century.
The views of life and teachings about state and law in the Middle Ages were very different from the views of life and teachings about the state and law in the renaissance era.
Because the view of life in medieval times was universalistic, in the sense that people considered themselves to be part of the general Christian world.
All life is prepared to face a lasting life, which is life in the afterlife.
The teachings of the State and law do not have their own personality, because they are determined by theological views.
However, starting from the XII century there were changes, because nominalistic philosophy had reversed the relationship between the general and the particular.
And from that moment on, attention to the livelihoods of this world began to get bigger.
Everything related to human life began to develop.
Human reason begins to animate life, so if in the past, acceptance was considered the highest virtue, now, in the renaissance era, it was individual results, which others could not do, received the highest praise and appreciation.
So then people are competing to get a position and so on, even though with a cunning intellect, they still go through it.
Thus, in fact, the views of life and teachings about the state and law during the renaissance era were strongly influenced by various kinds of understanding, the influence was so strong that it could change and distort the views of life and teachings about the state and law that existed at that time.
The ideas that influence include :
- The re-development of ancient Greek culture, so the influence of ancient Greek culture.
This influence arose because of the crusades. If in medieval times everything had to submit to God's nature or God's will, people should not think individually to determine how they should live, because it was state leaders or church leaders who determined everything, because those leaders who are considered as representatives of God in this world.
So after the crusade, because of the consequences of the Greek culture, especially Aristotle's teachings, the element of reason was introduced, and people began to think rationally.
Access to this effect is very bad, because as usual all new things or ideas are very interesting and easy to imitate.So it is with the imitation of ancient Greek culture. So that in the end people really exaggerated and greatly idolized the ancient Greek culture. Meanwhile, religious norms were completely removed. This caused morals to degenerate, and an individualistic outlook emerged.
- The second idea that influenced the renaissance era was the feudalism system rooted in ancient German culture.
This system influenced Western Rome as a result of the German conquest of Western Rome.
This feudalism system created chaos and regional division.
In order to know the reasons, one must first investigate what is meant by the feudal system, and what is its basis.
What is meant by the feudalism system in the constitutional field is that in the constitutional structure there are personal rights recognized.
So the basis of it is that the law has personality traits.
This means that those who lose their rights become the duty of the owners themselves to regain their rights.
Likewise region is also a personality.
And in this case what matters is that the state is a private property of the king.
Nobles, especially commoners, have no rights, especially in the constitutional structure.
But when the State experiences danger, war, for example, the aristocrats and also the common people must always provide assistance to the king, in whatever form.
Then later to those who contributed, the king gave a gift in the form of a loan of a plot of land.
The giving of the gifts was by means of an agreement that a part of the proceeds should be submitted to the king, as a tax, or as a sign that they were the king's subordinates.
The people who received the land prize were called leenman, while the king who lent the land was called the leenheer or landlord.
The relationship between leenheer and leenman was originally good, leenheer was initially diligent in going around leenman places, or vice versa leenman who visited leenheer's places.
But over time this relationship became strained and eventually ended completely cut off.
So after the breakdown of this relationship it was the leenman who became powerful in these areas.
This power is getting stronger and stronger. The position of king depends on the help and support of the leenmans.
Finally, the king's power waned and even completely exhausted. This situation was used best by the leenman to proclaim himself king.
Thus arose little kings, and they were fighting for power. This situation has caused chaos and division of the country.
These things then caused state scholars in the renaissance era to always try to think about or create conceptions about the central and absolute system of government in the state or staats-absolutism.
While the goal is to stop the war for power that always causes chaos.
There are many countries that fall into this situation. Italy, for example, has been experiencing this situation since the middle of the XIII century.
Which process continued since the kings of Germany disappeared from Italy and finally culminated in the XVI century. So from then on, the issue of statehood became very hot and very interesting.
The problem is, how can chaos and power struggles be ended and replaced by an order.
This problem really attracted attention and was then investigated and resolved by a state figure who was very amazing at that time. The figure in question is none other than Niccolo Machiavelli.
