Corvée

Corvée described the unpaid work that Lehnsnehmer in feudalism - whether free or not free - had to work for their lords, so any forced, especially unclaimed by the State work.

Although the Corvée formed a characteristic feature of the feudal system, it was much older than feudalism and developed in its main features already in the Roman Empire as an institution. Under that system had to provide physical services ( operae ) for the state or for private owners certain classes of the Roman system. Apart from the obligations ( operae officiales ), the released men imposed as a condition of their freedom and were usually served as unpaid labor on the estate of the landowner, the half-free coloni were required, in addition to the lease payment, a certain number of days on a for the landowner reserved portion of the estate to work without compensation. The state also drove in lieu of taxes personal work ( operae publicae ) of certain classes for the construction of roads, bridges and dikes, while the inhabitants of different regions for the operation of the transport and communications system ( cursur publicus ) were responsible for the horses, carts and work were requisitioned.

Under the Frankish kings who followed in their administration of the Roman tradition, the system was maintained. The counts were thus authorized within their scope, demand for the repair of roads and other public tasks, the work of the inhabitants of Pagus, while the Missi and other public officials were authorized on their journeys, by the people on the way entertainment and transportation for themselves themselves and their possessions to demand. Between the 6th and 10th century, the Gallo-Roman goods walked into the feudal model, and under the political conditions of this economic revolution in which developed the officials of the Frankish empire to hereditary feudal lords, the corvée system unfolded, as it existed during the Middle Ages, and survived in some states until well into the 19th century. The Roman land was ordered by free peasants, Coloni and by slave labor. Under Frankish rule, the farmers Coloni or Hospites and the slaves were serfs. The land was now usually in the range of the feudal lord ( terra indominicata, dominicum ) and a number of land parcels ( mansi ) divided that were distributed by lot to the farmers of ownership. This they were partially against lease payment, partly for personal service and work on the estate. These commitments have been well defined in nature and scope, permanently fixed for each Mansus and went to each new vassal over.

Regarding the nature of the corvées is to be noted that the feudal lords were replaced in the Middle Ages the centralized state for all administrative purposes, and owing to them by the Lehnsnehmern services played partly the role of a lease in the form of labor, partly at variance with the Roman and Frankish monarchs eingefordeten instead of money controlling works that are paramount in their areas continue claimed the feudal lords. The first group included the physical labor in the fields, repairing buildings, felling of trees, the threshing of grain and transportation of grain, wine and wood. The second group included road works, construction and repair of bridges, castles and churches and the mail delivery. Corvées were further distinguished as real, that is, belonging to a parcel of land, or in person, subject to certain persons.

Despite the fact that the corvées were usually strictly defined by local habits and by the leases, and that at a time scarce money in circulation to pay was an advantage in physical work for the poor, the system apparently opened opportunities for abuse. With the increase of urban life made ​​it the townspeople at an early age to get rid of pesky obligations; either by purchase, or by exchange of personal work with the supply of wagons, draft horses and the like. In the country, the system survived, but its has changed, and that for the worse. What protection the free peasants have also liked, the serfs were almost everywhere - especially in the 10th and 11th centuries - in fact as well as nominally subject in this respect the mercy of their lords ( corvéables à merci ), and there was no restriction on the amount of money or the work that was required of them. The system was even oppressive, when the nobles gave nothing in return for the services, such as protection for the farmer, his family and his country; it was unbearable, as the development of the modern state dismissed the landowners of their duties, but not their rights.

In the case of France, the peasants were loaded in the 17th century with the so-called corvée royale, ie the obligation to unpaid work on the public roads; the commitment was made ​​in 1738 generally. The natural anger that the people of the land which was bought their ancestors were still subjected to arduous duties, and that too against people who they saw infrequently and of which they had no use, was one of the most effective causes of the Revolution. By Constituante personal corvées were completely abolished, while landowners were given the choice between the real corvées and a conversion into a money tax. The 1789 abolished corvée royale under the name prestation reintroduced and modified by subsequent legislation in 1824, 1836 and 1871 under the consulate by the Law of 4 X Thermidor.