This article delves into the complex reasons behind peasant rebellions, examining economic, social, political, and cultural factors that pushed ordinary people to take up arms against their lords and rulers.
Economic Hardship and Exploitation
One of the most immediate causes of peasant rebellions was economic distress. Peasants were generally poor, living at subsistence levels, and heavily taxed or obligated to provide labor and goods to their landlords.
- Increased Taxes and Rents: Feudal lords often raised taxes or rents to finance wars, lavish lifestyles, or royal demands. For example, the Poll Tax imposed before the English Peasants’ Revolt of 1381 placed a heavy burden on peasants, igniting widespread anger.
- Crop Failures and Famine: Natural disasters, poor harvests, and climatic changes (such as the Little Ice Age) caused food shortages, pushing peasants into deeper poverty.
- Decline of Feudal Protections: Over time, many peasants lost traditional rights to common lands and grazing, which were enclosed or privatized by nobles seeking profit, reducing peasants’ ability to sustain themselves.
These economic pressures created a volatile environment where peasants felt exploited and desperate. shutdown123