>From: Tom Merchant <eachequal_at_yahoo.com>
>
>So property is not odal in Sartar and clans are based
>around upper classes with property and lower classes
>as wage slaves. Anyone going to explain to me how this
>is done without a sophisticated legal system that
>specifically protects property (like the UK) or
>tyranny?. Surely small isolated communities divided
>along class lines without outside influence is going
>to descend very quickly into anarchy.
I don't think anyone is arguing for a modern employer/employee class structure. What Alex and I are discussing is how the mix of odal and personal property works. Some Orlanthi are wealthier than others which creates class differences particularly when wealth is associated with certain occupations. KoS lists several from Clan Chief down to thrall but omits those who do not work the land. I don't believe they are a large proportion, maybe 10-20%, and include such specialists as healers, smiths, wheelwrights, weaponthanes but mostly are odd job men and women. Property rights (property in a wider sense then we currently use the term) are certainly an essential part of the Orlanthi legal system but at the same time acquiring wealth isn't everything in the culture. For example the richer you are the more generous you are expected to be. The gap between rich and poor isn't as large as in modern society either, you won't see starving beggers on your way to the chief's feast. If a clan member is starving you can be sure that the rest of the clan are also seriously short of food.
The other thing which prevents it falling apart is the sense of community, if your clan doesn't stick together those nasty folk in the next valley will pinch all your livestock and you'll all be worse off. Sure Olaf's a jammy begger the way he got those cattle but he shares the meat with the rest of us and he was as quick as anyone to help fix the roof on Sven's house when the snow brought it down last winter.
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