Peasant

Peasant is a term used to describe a traditional class of farmers, either laborers or owners of small farms, especially in the Middle Ages under feudalism, or more generally, in any pre-industrial society. In Europe, peasants were divided into three classes according to their personal status: slave, serf, and free tenant.

History

The term peasant originally referred to small-scale agriculturalists in Europe in historical times, but many other societies, both past and present, have had a peasant class. The peasant economy generally has a relatively simple technology and a division of labor by age and sex. The basic unit of production is the family or household.

Peasantry in the Middle Ages

In the Middle Ages, peasants could be categorized into free peasants and serfs. Free peasants owned their own land and could move freely. Serfs, on the other hand, were bound to the land and were not free to move without the permission of the lord.

Modern Peasantry

In modern times, the term peasant is sometimes used to describe those living in developing countries who engage in subsistence farming. It can also be used pejoratively to describe someone who is considered unsophisticated or backward.

See Also

• Feudalism
• Serfdom
• Middle Ages
• Agriculture

References

Peasant Resources
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