[Cryptography] is this feudalism?

[J.M. Porup]

On Sun, Mar 06, 2016 at 08:38:38AM -0800, Ray Dillinger wrote:
> On 03/06/2016 07:33 AM, Perry E. Metzger wrote:
> 
> The current state of the art is that providing secure systems
> for people who do not participate in working to secure their
> systems is extremely hard.  

Is this feudalism?

Feudalism was a system of government (or protection racket, take your
pick) in which armored thugs on horseback ("lords") protected their vassals
("users").

Apple protects the peasants, but must pay fealty in turn to the
might-is-right gangsters at the FBI.

Does this metaphor seem useful to you in terms of better understanding
the problem, and explaining it to lay people?

Thoughts welcome on or off list.

jmp