Political and Economic Terms of French Origin

French words began entering the language after the Norman invasion of 1066, a cataclysmic event which marked the beginning of the end of Anglo-Saxon. For about 300 years English would cease to be a written language, cease to be the language of the aristocracy and the court, and become the language of the underclass. Norman French would become the language of power.

Administration,

Justice,

Money,

Treasurer,

Commerce,

Finance,

Tax,

Regime,

Government,

Jurisdiction,

District,

Sovereignty,

Liberalism,

Capitalism,

Diplomacy,

Alliance,

Constitution,

Passport

We can safely assume that words like “liberalism” and “capitalism” entered the language at a much later time, as in the early medieval period these concepts did not exist; these concepts were born after the Industrial Revolution. In 1066 commerce was regulated through guilds.