Some salient characteristics of peasants in Southern Thailand Northern Malaysia: a preliminary observation

Abstract

One of the earlier statement on peasants was made by A.L. Kroeber, an anthropologist who based his observation on peasants in Western Europe. Kroeber emphasised on the rural character of the peasant community but living in constant relationship with the market town. (1) In contrast with the tribal community, peasants lack the political autonomy, the self-sufficiency, and do not live in isolation from the wider community. Kroeber introduced the notion of ""part-societies with part culture"" emphasising on peasants forming as part of the larger stratificatory system whereby the peasantry was dominated by a powerful group, the ruling class.