User blog comment:Lolcano11/Camelot: History, Geography, Politics and Culture. Discuss./@comment-5022597-20120416200030

Thanks for the note! Yes, I would assume that the majority of Camelotians (lol, sounds weird but I don't know what they're called) would be poor. Because honestly, for most of history the gap between rich and poor has been enormous, especially between peasants and nobles. However, it seems like Camelot has a large middle class as well, which I guess Gwen is part of.

I think that most of the people wouldn't know how to read. My guess is that Merlin can because his mom taught him, who perhaps learned from her husband. I would think that magicians would have higher educational standerds because they'd have to like, read spells and stuff. The bourgeouis and nobles would likely recieve lessons to read as well, but the peasants probably wouldn't. The bandits would have to be explained away some how. Maybe they were scholars who were hard-pressed for money? Lol, I dunno.

Now, I've been researching the government and I've found a theory that may correspond with the show. Despite being vaguely set in pre-anglo saxon england, I find that it is a better political fit to assume the government is more similar to early tudor england. In the middle ages the king govern the nation by moving around from castle to castle. However, Camelot is obviously the capital city. This shows that the government is much more centralized. What's more, it appears to have a bourgening middle class that produces many great products such as glass, clothes and paper and amazing architecture. This is more in tune to the later middle ages. From this we can see that Camelot is economically well of and must have many established trade routes. It is likely located near the sea. This can provide sand for the glass (i'm sorry for obsessing over this glass thing, but it bugs me!) and allow for ship-trade with other nations. Which is strange because there is no mention of any water nearby except for random lakes. But the rise of trade would mean that there would be a larger demand for education to sucessful carry out the aforemention trade, so there is likely a university in Camelot. If it is any similar to medieval/renaissance universities it would teach the seven liberal arts, grammer, rhetoric, mathematics, geometry, music and astronomy. Due to a rise in education, a buerocracy of civil servants could arise, allowing centralization in one city to become possible.

However, the old fuedal landlords still hold much power, but it appears that Uther and Arther have been sucesfully in pushing them aside, similar to the early tudors. A centralized, absolutist government is beginning to develop. This type of government is marked by a larger buerocracy and by the appointing important tasks and jurisdictions of land to people regardless of station as well as keeping the nobles close by in the castle. There is likely still a Royal Council who advices the king and contains many nobles. I am not sure if there is a parliament, like it England, but it is possible.

It appears that despite an advanced economic system and educational system, their weapons are still medieval. The main forces are from the land-owning classes (only nobles can become knights) who have enough money to train and buy a horse. I am not sure of the state of their infantry. Gun-powder may or may not have been discovered, but usage is still not widespread. I predict gun-powder to become more common as metalurgy skills increase.

The state of their navy is unknown, although they must have some to carry out trade unless they are landlocked. It is possible they are instead located in a strategic position inland that intersects with various trade routes.

The one thing that bothers me is the utter lack of any mention of religion. It becomes even weirder when the refer to magic as "the old religion" Then what's the new religion? Although it is of course, aimed for a secular audience, religion has played a pivitol role in the education and social aspect of all societies.

As of yet I am still uncertain whether they have a printing presss, but with the level of technology and government described above, how can they not? Does anybody remember if the books in the library were typed or printed?

So yeah, that's my explanation. If it conflicts with anything stated in canon, please let me know!