The biggest influence on social life was religion, particularlythe Catholic Church. The people of medieval Europe were veryreligious and most aspects of their lives reflected their beliefs.Politically, most European nation-states were established under anemperor or monarch. This paved the way for feudalism, a merit basedsystem which determines the benefits one has that are earned bycontributions to the country. The slave trade was a big factor forthe medieval European economy. The imperialist superpowers likeEngland and France saw slave trade as an opportunity for cheap orfree labor.