User blog comment:Zippertrain85/The difference between Mideval & Fantasy/@comment-17114085-20140309125534

In the Government Section you bring up the point that in Medieval times the Monarchy was absolute. Though that isn't the case. In the Early Middle Ages the most powerful noble wasn't the King, it was the Feudal Lord. Which is kind of what Skyrim has. The Jarls hold a lot of the power, and are pretty independent from the others. Each hold has its laws and guards to uphold them. Though they swear fealty to the High King, but who's power is more limited than an absolute monarchy.

Also why is the absence of power abuse one of your points? In Medieval times not all Kings abused his power, only some. Just because a Jarl in Skyrim doesn't abuse his power doesn't mean his power isn't absolute, it just means he isn't a dick. Also there is a prime example of a dick Jarl in Skyrim.....Siddgeir. Oh how I hate that bastard. Jarl Siddgeir doesn't give a crap about ruling and leaves everything to his steward. That could be considered abusing power as its his responsibility as Jarl to rule the Hold yet he doesn't.

You talk about the strict hierarchy of the Middle Ages and say that doesn't exist in Skyrim. Well I beg to differ. The hierarchy is there, though it isn't as strict as that of the Early Middle Ages. Its more reminiscent of the more loose hierarchy of the Late Middle Ages. In that hierarchy a lowborn peasant could become a pretty powerful bourgeois. Though that lowborn could never become a noble. Which is the case in Skyrim. As far as we know non of the Jarls or Nobles started out as lowborn. As far as we know they were born into the Noble Class. Like you pointed out there are wealthy people in Skyrim though many of them are nobles(Battle-Borns, Silver-Bloods, Black-Briars) but some are bourgeois(Nazeem, and others).

On a closing point. TESU isn't Medieval but I borrows a lot of aspects of Medieval culture. But it mixes and matches them to make something new but at the same time familiar. Like the Moot for example. That is something new, but its not Democratic like you said. As democracy is the Government of the people, meaning that the common folk vote for their leaders. No, that isn't what happens in Skyrim. Its still a monarchy.