Final answer:
A peasant is a small farmer or agricultural laborer of low social rank, traditionally part of a feudal system or similar hierarchy. They are characterized by attachment to the land, traditional social practices, and exploitation by higher economic classes. In recent times, globalization and urbanization have reshaped peasant identities and led to the post-peasant class.
Step-by-step explanation:
Definition of Peasant
A peasant is traditionally defined as a member of a class of persons who are small farmers or farm laborers of low social rank within a feudal system or other hierarchical social structure. According to cultural anthropologist Robert Redfield in 1956, peasants were identified by their 'little tradition' or local identity and culture involving a changing mix of customs based on oral traditions. Eric Wolf in 1966 described peasants as 'closed corporate communities', emphasizing their detachment from urban centers and resistance to cultural changes stemming from migration.
In historical societies such as ancient Egypt, peasants were often serfs, tied to the land without the freedom to leave, and subject to the authority of a noble overlord. In contemporary societies, peasants are typically small-scale farmers integrated into larger economic structures, usually without control over broader economic and political systems and often exploited by urban elites. Globalization has now introduced the concept of a post-peasant class, referring to rural cultivators who have migrated to urban areas but retain cultural attributes of their ancestors, including certain traditional practices and political conservatism.