For Europe, it also enabled rearrangement of tenancies for better use of land, and for some the chance to switch to being a free tenant in place of mere serf. S

For Europe, it also enabled rearrangement of tenancies for better use of land, and for some the chance to switch to being a free tenant in place of mere serf. Suddenly there was a chance to make money from what might be profitable to sell at market rather than what the lord required them to grow. Growing what they chose on land for coin, in place of being required to give x sacks of wheat, or y sheep every year, may have been the first real opportunity to make in excess of subsistence. Failing that, run away to another region to work for higher rates as a labourer and hope your liege lord doesn't find you. Little wonder that there were new laws trying to stop mere serfs profiting from this.