Peonage for Dummies
noun
pronunciation: 'piənɪdʒWhat does Peonage really mean?
Peonage is a word that might sound a little unfamiliar at first, but don't worry, I'm here to explain it to you! You see, peonage refers to a system of labor where someone is forced to work for someone else, usually because of a debt they owe. In this system, the person who owes the debt becomes like a servant or a worker for the person they owe money to. The person in power, who is owed the debt, has control over the person in peonage and can make them work long hours, do difficult tasks, and treat them unfairly.
Imagine if you borrowed some money from a friend and you couldn't pay it back right away. Your friend might ask you to do some chores for them to pay off the debt. You would have to do these chores until you have paid back the full amount you owe. During this time, your friend may have control over you and make you do more work than you initially agreed to. This is similar to how peonage works, where the person in debt has to work for the other person until they clear their debt.
Peonage can also refer to a historical practice where people were forced to work in conditions similar to slavery. This happened mainly in the United States during the late 19th century and early 20th century. Unfortunately, these individuals were often treated very poorly, and their rights and freedoms were severely limited. It was a sad and unjust system that exploited people who were vulnerable and unable to defend their rights.
So, remember, peonage is a word that describes a system of labor where someone is forced to work for someone else because of a debt they owe, or it can refer to a historical practice of forced labor in a similar way to slavery. I hope this explanation helps you understand the meaning of the word "peonage" a little better!
Imagine if you borrowed some money from a friend and you couldn't pay it back right away. Your friend might ask you to do some chores for them to pay off the debt. You would have to do these chores until you have paid back the full amount you owe. During this time, your friend may have control over you and make you do more work than you initially agreed to. This is similar to how peonage works, where the person in debt has to work for the other person until they clear their debt.
Peonage can also refer to a historical practice where people were forced to work in conditions similar to slavery. This happened mainly in the United States during the late 19th century and early 20th century. Unfortunately, these individuals were often treated very poorly, and their rights and freedoms were severely limited. It was a sad and unjust system that exploited people who were vulnerable and unable to defend their rights.
So, remember, peonage is a word that describes a system of labor where someone is forced to work for someone else because of a debt they owe, or it can refer to a historical practice of forced labor in a similar way to slavery. I hope this explanation helps you understand the meaning of the word "peonage" a little better!
Revised and Fact checked by Ava Hernandez on 2023-10-29 20:00:55
Peonage In a sentece
Learn how to use Peonage inside a sentece
- In some countries, people who owe money are forced to work to pay off their debts. This is called peonage.
- During the time of slavery, many African Americans were forced into peonage and had to work on plantations.
- A farmer might use peonage by giving a worker a place to live on his land and in return, the worker has to work for the farmer.
- In some factories, workers are treated like peons and have to work long hours for very little pay.
- Indentured servants in colonial America were often bound to peonage contracts, where they had to work for a specified number of years to pay off their passage to the New World.
Peonage Hypernyms
Words that are more generic than the original word.