CONCEPTUAL-FRAMEWORK FOR THE EMPIRICAL-ANALYSIS OF PEASANTS

To assist in the design and analysis of the many empirical studies currently conducted on peasants and their changing status in third world countries, a conceptual framework is presented and illustrated with data from Cajamarca in Peru. The framework identifies the key variables to be measured and processes to be analyzed at three levels; the organization of the peasant household in terms of production, circulation, and reproduction; the mechanisms of surplus extraction; and the class position and differentiation of groups of peasants within particular social formations.-Authors