Peasants: Survivors in a Global World

Peasants: Survivors in a Global World

        The notion of “Peasants” has been around for a long period of time, however, the its definition has been constantly changing over time with the changes and developments of the global scene.

        The term “peasants” originally refers to the populations in rural areas whose main activities involve around producing agricultural products on their own land, and remaining a self-sustainable lifestyle. However, with the growth of population on limited land, along with the growing demands from the urban areas, “peasants” gradually forced to leave their land to participate in other activities to make a living. Along with the process of globalization in the economy, global demand becomes stronger than local demand, and therefore forces peasants to produce solely for the purpose of export. This transformation in agricultural activities pushes “peasants” into poverty, and separates them from the traditional perceived definition.

        The “peasants”, however, still perceive themselves as peasants despite the fact that they now do not entirely follow the traditional “peasants” lifestyle anymore. It is this flexibility in their identity and adaptation that help them survive throughout changes. “The peasantry everywhere can be defined as a class of survivors… The word survivor has two meanings. It denotes somebody who has survived an ordeal. And it also denotes a person who has continued to live when others disappeared or perished.” (217)

Along with the process of globalization in the economy, global demand becomes stronger than local demand, and therefore forces peasants to produce solely for the purpose of export. This transformation in agricultural activities pushes “peasants” into poverty, and separates them from the traditional perceived definition.