corvée labour
Also found in: Dictionary.
corvée labour
a form of labour required by a state, or state representative, often as a form of rent, taxation or other tribute. Various societies in history have exhibited forms of corvée labour. Wittfogel (1957) saw it as a particular feature of ORIENTAL DESPOTISM, distinguishing this form from SERFDOM, in which labour obligations are extracted by a landlord rather than by a state.Collins Dictionary of Sociology, 3rd ed. © HarperCollins Publishers 2000
Copyright © 2003-2025 Farlex, Inc
Disclaimer
All content on this website, including dictionary, thesaurus, literature, geography, and other reference data is for informational purposes only. This information should not be considered complete, up to date, and is not intended to be used in place of a visit, consultation, or advice of a legal, medical, or any other professional.