Peasant
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
| Revision as of 09:55, 15 May 2007 WikiSysop (Talk | contribs) ← Previous diff |
Revision as of 09:56, 15 May 2007 WikiSysop (Talk | contribs) Next diff → |
||
| Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
| {{Template}} | {{Template}} | ||
| + | A '''peasant''', derived from [[15th century]] French ''païsant'' meaning one from the ''pays,'' the [[rural|countryside]] or region, which itself derives from the Latin ''pagus'', country district, is an [[agriculture|agricultural]] worker with roots in the countryside in which he or she dwells, either working for others or, more specifically, owning or [[renting]] and working by his or her own labour a small plot of ground. They are also referred to in England as a "[[cottager]]". The term peasant today is sometimes used in a pejorative sense for impoverished farmers. | ||
| + | |||
| + | Peasants typically make up the majority of the [[agriculture|agricultural]] labour force in a [[Pre-industrial society]], depending on the [[cultivation]] of their land: without stockpiles of provisions they thrive or starve according to the most recent harvest (''illustration, above right''). Pre-industrial societies have diminished with the advent of globalization and as such there are considerably less peasants to be found in rural areas throughout the world. However, there are still peasant populations in [[Mexico]], [[Central America]], [[South America]], [[Africa]], [[India]], [[China]], [[Europe]] and various parts of [[Southeast Asia]]. | ||
| [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/{{PAGENAMEE}}] [May 2007] | [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/{{PAGENAMEE}}] [May 2007] | ||
Revision as of 09:56, 15 May 2007
|
Related e |
|
Featured: |
A peasant, derived from 15th century French païsant meaning one from the pays, the countryside or region, which itself derives from the Latin pagus, country district, is an agricultural worker with roots in the countryside in which he or she dwells, either working for others or, more specifically, owning or renting and working by his or her own labour a small plot of ground. They are also referred to in England as a "cottager". The term peasant today is sometimes used in a pejorative sense for impoverished farmers.
Peasants typically make up the majority of the agricultural labour force in a Pre-industrial society, depending on the cultivation of their land: without stockpiles of provisions they thrive or starve according to the most recent harvest (illustration, above right). Pre-industrial societies have diminished with the advent of globalization and as such there are considerably less peasants to be found in rural areas throughout the world. However, there are still peasant populations in Mexico, Central America, South America, Africa, India, China, Europe and various parts of Southeast Asia. [1] [May 2007]
