Peasants and serfs were given land to farm by lords or nobles in feudal societies.
They were provided with housing and protection in return for their work. This system was known as feudalism.
Feudalism, a dominant social and economic system in medieval Europe, revolved around the distribution of land and labor.
Lords or nobles, owning vast estates, divided their lands into smaller units known as fiefdoms, which were allocated to peasants and serfs for agricultural cultivation.
In exchange for the right to work and live on these parcels, peasants owed various duties to the lord, including labor on the fields, taxes, and military service.
This hierarchical structure fostered a system of mutual dependence and obligation.
Peasants were granted protection and basic necessities, such as housing, while the lord secured labor and resources for sustenance and defense.
However, this arrangement restricted social mobility, binding individuals to their inherited social statuses.
Feudalism began to decline with the advent of capitalism and industrialization.
The shift from agrarian economies to urban-based industrial ones transformed the economic landscape.
Factors such as technological advancements, trade expansion, and changes in production methods led to the erosion of feudal structures. Gradually, feudal obligations gave way to wage labor and market-driven economies, marking the transition to modern economic systems where land ownership and labor relationships underwent significant transformations.