Allodialism

/əˈloʊdiəlɪzəm/ noun

Definition

A legal or political system based on absolute land ownership without feudal obligations.

Etymology

From allodial + -ism (system or ideology). This term developed in 19th-century legal discussions as scholars examined alternative property systems to feudalism, particularly relevant to newly independent nations like the United States seeking to establish their own ownership models.

Kelly Says

Early American colonists were fascinated by allodialism because it promised land ownership without a king claiming supreme authority—this idea shaped the entire property system of the young United States and influenced how settlers could claim and own land westward.

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