Capitalism, Subsistence Farming, and the (New) Peasantries from the Perspective of the French Neorural Movement

To problematize the idea of peasant autonomy in old capitalist societies, this paper will explore the evolution of two phenomena in present-day France: peasantry, commonly understood as relatively autonomous small family farms that rely on subsistence farming, and the neorural movement, that is, urban-to-rural migration that has a counter-cultural connotation. While peasantry is believed to be disappearing, the neorural movement is charged with “deradicalization” because it distances itself from subsistence farming. The juxtaposition of both phenomena shows that capitalism has transformed the countryside, making it difficult to live from agriculture. In old capitalist countries, peasant autonomy is no longer about subsistence farming but about achieving an economic equilibrium that increases autonomy from market pressures created by high input prices and low output values.