Corvées

Discussion

Will Ruddick:

"Latin Origins: The term “corvée” derives from the Medieval Latin word “corrogata”, meaning “a day’s work”. The root word “corrogare” combines “co-” (together) and “rogare” (to ask or request), literally translating to “to gather or request together”. This reflects the ancient concept of corvée as a communal activity where people were called to gather to perform labour for the common good.

Corvées originated before medieval France (we don’t know how far back they go!) as a voluntary system of communal labour where villagers would come together to support each other reciprocally with essential farming tasks and infrastructure projects. This ancient practice was rooted in mutual service, fostering social bonds and ensuring that no single family or individual was left to manage heavy labour alone. It played a vital role in maintaining the community’s agricultural productivity and social cohesion, creating a sense of unity and shared purpose among neighbours.

As feudalism took hold between the 10th and 17th centuries, the nature of Corvées shifted dramatically from a voluntary community practice to a compulsory tax imposed by feudal lords. This feudal corvée required peasants to perform unpaid labour on the lands of their lords under threat of punishment. This transformation represented a significant exploitation of the original communal spirit of Corvées, turning it into a tool for economic extraction and control by the ruling elite. The burdensome nature of forced corvée labour contributed to widespread resentment among the peasantry, fueling discontent that would later ignite revolutionary fervour.

The French Revolution marked a pivotal moment for forced Corvées, with the abolition of feudal dues and the corvée tax being among the key reforms enacted by the National Convention in the late 18th century. This abolition sought to dismantle the oppressive structures of the feudal system and address the grievances of the peasantry – yet brought only new forms of taxation, industrialization and isolation of ‘workers’.

Corvées were more than a means to manage farm labour; they were a core part of the social infrastructure. These gatherings built trust, facilitated the construction of essential community structures like churches, and strengthened bonds among neighbours. As mechanization and capitalism took over, communities became more efficient at producing goods for the market but at the cost of losing their communal spirit.

The consequences of this shift are evident today. The isolation of modern farming has contributed to a rise in farmer suicides and a decline in social cohesion. It raises the critical question: how many more suicides, how much more environmental degradation, must occur before we recognize that our lives should not solely revolve around economic production? We must recognize how our communal structures were destroyed (even how the concept of Corvées was corrupted, redefined and then outlawed) and revive our social infrastructures to address these crises, for they are symptoms of a deeper loss of community and support.

Today, there is a growing interest in reviving the communal essence of Corvées through modern frameworks like commitment pooling, aiming to restore the social infrastructure and community spirit that once thrived through these ancient practices."

(https://www.lowimpact.org/posts/corvees-commons-practices-in-ancient-and-modern-france)