Peasants

Definition

Peasants were the lowest social class in feudal Japan consisting mostly of farmers and laborers who worked on land owned by daimyo or other higher-ranking individuals. They had little social mobility but played a vital role in supporting the economy.

Related terms

Emperor: The highest-ranking monarch who may indirectly affect the lives of peasants through policies or decrees.

Daimyo: Feudal lords who owned the land where peasants worked and provided them protection in return for their labor.

Feudalism: The social system in which peasants work on land owned by higher-ranking individuals in exchange for protection and a share of the harvest.