Question

Explain,
In the seventeenth century, merchants from towns In Europe began employing peasants and artisans within the villages.

Answer 1

Answer:

• As a result of expansion of world trade and acquisition of colonies, demand for goods had increased significantly. The merchants, however, could not increase production in towns as the urban crafts and trade guilds were powerful. These were associations of producers that trained its people, maintained control over production, regulated competition and prices and restricted the entry of new people into the trade. Rulers granted different guilds the monopoly right to produce and trade in specific products. It was, therefore, difficult for new merchants to set up business in towns. So they turned to countryside.
• In the countryside the conditions were favourable for them because in the countryside, with the disappearance of open fields and enclosure of common lands, the peasants were in search of alternative sources of income.
• Many peasants had tiny plots of land which could not provide work for all members of the household.
• The peasants agreed to do work for the merchants because it was beneficial for them too because they could remain in the countryside and could also cultivate their small plots of land. It enabled them to use full strength of their families as well.

Answer 2

(b) In the seventeenth century merchants from towns in Europe began employing peasants and artisans within the villages because: The demand for goods increased with the expansion of world trade. The acquisition of colonies was also responsible for the increase in demand.