Definition

Noun: 1. The social class consisting of peasants: The collective body or class of people who are peasants, typically referring to agricultural laborers or small-scale farmers, especially in historical or pre-industrial societies. This term often implies a lower socioeconomic status within a hierarchical social structure.

Usage

The word "peasantry" is used as a collective noun to refer to peasants as a social group or class. It is often used in historical, sociological, or economic contexts. - It is typically treated as a singular noun (e.g., the peasantry was). - It can be used with a definite article (the peasantry) to refer to the entire class in a specific region or period.

Examples

• The peasantry formed the economic backbone of the feudal system.
• Revolts by the peasantry were common in medieval Europe.
• Government policies aimed to improve the living standards of the peasantry.
• The historian studied the daily life of the peasantry in the 18th century.

Advanced Usage

• "The peasantry as a whole": Emphasizes considering all peasants collectively.
  • The reform affected the peasantry as a whole.
• "The landed peasantry": Specifically refers to peasants who own or work on their own small plots of land.
  • The landed peasantry had more security than landless laborers.

Variants and Related Words

• Peasant (noun): An individual member of the peasantry; a poor smallholder or agricultural laborer.
  • A peasant worked the land from dawn until dusk.
• Peasant-like (adjective): Resembling or characteristic of a peasant or the peasantry.
  • He lived a simple, peasant-like existence.

Synonyms

• Farming class: The class of people involved in agriculture.
• Agrarian workers: People who work on the land.
• Rustics (somewhat literary or archaic): Country people, often implying simplicity.

Antonyms

• Aristocracy: The highest social class, especially the nobility.
• Gentry: People of good social position, specifically the class of people next below the nobility.
• Bourgeoisie: The middle class, typically with reference to its perceived materialistic values or conventional attitudes.

Related Phrases and Concepts

• Peasant revolt/uprising: A rebellion instigated by the peasantry.
  • The Jacquerie was a famous peasant revolt in France.
• Peasant economy: An economic system based on small-scale agricultural production by individual families.
  • The country transitioned from a peasant economy to an industrial one.

Noun

1. the class of peasants