Talk:Peasant

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[edit] pejorative

re: this:

That "peasant" is sometimes used as an insult by those townsfolk who consider themselves superior to rural labourers should not affect the sturdy and hard usefulness of an old term.

What's interesting and notable is not only that certain people use it pejorativly, but how did it get to be that way, what were the forces and events that made peasant a "@!#$@%$#@$" word (it wasnt always), then we can re-examine modern uses of the word in a new light. --Stbalbach 17:38, 2 Feb 2005 (UTC)

Could you include this in the article somehow? It would be a great addition to the article. Overall this article needs much work, as it is still somehow "raw" and uncomplete. Thanks! Peregrine981 12:20, Feb 3, 2005 (UTC)

In the common vulgar vernacular the term peon, is pronounced as in Spanish peón, with the dipthong separated into separate vowel sounds. As a result it sounds to English language speaker ears as if to "urinate" on. The term peasant is used far too broadly in the Latin American context, where warrior cultures such as the Guajiro in Cuba, the Jíbaro in Puerto Rico, the Gaucho in Argentina are regarded as passive recipients of what ever may happen to them. El Jigüe 1-27-06 Happy birthday!!!


[edit] my previous edit "rvv"

was not "rvv", my mistake, rather reverting a non-encyclopedic website promotional article. Stbalbach 15:26, 9 October 2005 (UTC)

Can someone verify that the 16th century was actually "a good time to be a peasant"???

It wasn't. My European History book says "The Sixteenth-Century Household. Hunger and cold were the constant companions of the average European. In Scnadinavia and Muscovy, winter posed as great a threat to survival as did starvation... hard times meant hunger and starvation." I'm taking that statement out.
66.4.192.130 13:42, 4 May 2006 (UTC)

Many other history books refute that peasants lived poverty-stricken lives that were in constant danger of starvation. So I would say this a disputed.

[edit] dissociate peasant from industrial worker, give more detailed history of peasant/serf class, other edits

I cut some clutter from the back end of the last paragraph and replaced it with a more accurate tracing of the path of the medieval peasant from the dark ages to the industrial age. I felt there was too much blurring of the concept of the modern class system with the medieval one, with little consideration given to the intervening centuries. I tried to preserve the apparent similarities between the two classes while still showing that they were not necessarily related through either membership or causation.

I also got rid of the "arbeit macht frei" paragraph, since this is better known as a nazi death camp slogan than as a clever peasant saying.

IMO, the entire article needs more revision. Beerslurpy 01:06, 13 May 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Good time to be a peasant generalization

Also, "a good time to be a peasant" is entirely dependent on what region you lived in at what time. Dont forget that there was a "Little Ice age" during the 2nd millenium that made living in the northern half of europe very difficult for a few centuries. Additionally, Western Europe followed a very different path from Eastern Europe after the 14th century, for a wide variety of reasons. Russia (and many its satellite states) never got the Black Death (an important catalyst for change) but instead had to deal with the Tatars and a long line of autocratic and sometimes bloodthirsty tsars who feared innovation and advancement until relatively recent times. Contrast this with places like Amsterdam and Venice that developed advanced economic, artistic and scientific practices very early on and spread them to the rest of Europe.

Remember that a rising tide lifts all boats (from yachts to garbage scows). A "lower class" person in American today has a better standard of living than most kings throughout history (though obviously fewer servants and far less real property). While the wealthy enjoy far greater luxury and security in their lives, we shouldnt let this distract us from the fundamental truth that good times make things easier for everyone. When poor people are fat, times can generally assumed to be good. Beerslurpy 01:06, 13 May 2006 (UTC)

I thought the lttle ice age ended definitely by the beginning of the 13th century, I remember hearing a statistic like the border at which grapes could be grown had moved 25 miles north by that point, though that is remembered from some time ago and nothing to quote on.—The preceding unsigned comment was added by 24.125.233.221 (talk • contribs).

[edit] Black Death

I have seen arguments like the one in the wiki (that things got good for enterprising peasants after that point) and also arguments that things got much, much worse. I've heard about things getting considerably easier for nobility due to the influx of estate money from the countless dead (which ultimately led to the social mobility which undermined the feudal system) but I have heard that, with so few peasants left, the ones remaining were made to work so hard as to account for the lost ones.—The preceding unsigned comment was added by 24.125.233.221 (talk • contribs).

[edit] More more more

Why does the article not give examples of modern peasants. I still find a great resemblance of the peasants of old and their modern counterparts. There is a great amount of ant-noble feelings in the world, even in powerful countries that consider themselves world powers. This article could be so much more.--Margrave1206 20:30, 13 January 2007 (UTC)

Look forward to your help in making Wikipedia better. -- Stbalbach 15:24, 14 January 2007 (UTC)

[edit] As to Peasants

Stbalbach,

You may have a greater familiarity towards this topic than do I. And if so, if you would be so kind as to add where several statements throughout the article originate within the references listed below, that will greatly help towards the integrity of the article. I may be in error, however it upon first and second glance appears to have several original (uncited) statements that seem to merit an unreferenced tag. Apprecitate you time. Mister Fax 18:37, 13 April 2007 (UTC)

The article does list its references. They are just not in-line. The unreferenced tag is incorrect. Using fact tags is the best way to bring attention to any concerns. Even better, if you think something is wrong, just delete it from the article entirely, fact tags are not an excuse for bad information. -- Stbalbach 13:05, 17 April 2007 (UTC)
Excellent idea, Stbalbach. I've removed three instances of motivations and/or characterizations for peasants until sufficent citations are provided to back up these statemenst. Mister Fax 18:32, 17 April 2007 (UTC)

[edit] First Sentence

I think that the first sentence is very difficult to read. You should start with the definition and then get into the origin of the word.

[edit] Other terms...

Should "clown" go in the section on other words meaning peasant? Shakespeare uses it in this sense, if I remember properly...

[edit] Pheasant

Considering the similarity between the two words, may thay not have similar etmological origin?--190.74.108.43 16:39, 12 October 2007 (UTC)

[edit] My recent reversion

Today I reverted edits by 204.52.215.128 in large part because they appeared to be unsupported by references and may have been unpublished synthesis of information. Please refer to WP:SYN and WP:CITE primarily. In retrospect they do appear to be NPOV. Please accept my apology for the cut. This article probably needs considerably more cutting and pruning.Trilobitealive (talk) 22:14, 18 February 2008 (UTC)