Displacement of Rural Families
In rural communities, the breakdown of feudalism gave rise to farming for profit rather than subsistence. Similar to people in the cities, a peasant’s worth was tied to the marketplace and how his or her labor was valued. Once again, there were no obligations across classes to ensure the welfare of those most vulnerable to economic downturns.
Many rural families found themselves displaced from the land and transient as they searched for work and affordable housing. These trends left those who could not compete in the growing marketplace (the disabled, children, the elderly, etc.) as well as those who worked but remained desperately poor with little to no means of support.
