Saman Rahmani; Ahmad Khaleghi Damghani
Abstract
This article examines the peasant livelihood and income levels of farmers in Gilan from the end of the Naserid period to the constitutional period. The basis for this study is the evaluation ...
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This article examines the peasant livelihood and income levels of farmers in Gilan from the end of the Naserid period to the constitutional period. The basis for this study is the evaluation of the prevailing idea put forward in the works generally written about the social history of Qajar Iran. It is assumed that the Iranian peasantry lived in sheer poverty and at subsistence level due to extreme oppression. This article first assesses the income level of Gilak peasants based on the ratio of landowners to peasants in Gilan. Then, considering the basic income, it has demonstrated that Gilak farmers enjoyed a higher quality of livelihood compared to other Iranian farmers. Based on the available evidence and statistics, it can be claimed that at least during the period in question, economic pressure did not cause a predicament in the daily necessities of Gilak farmers. Therefore, we must look elsewhere for the reasons for their discontent during this period.
