Question

Assertion [A]: Poor harvests and increase in the prices of food crops led to death and starvation among the peasantry in pre-industrial Europe.

Reason [R]: The peasant class was hugely burdened with feudal dues and obligations in pre-industrial Europe.

Read the above given statements and select the appropriate option.

[0.8 marks]

• A. Both A and R is true. R is the correct explanation for A.
• B. Both A and R is true. R is the incorrect explanation for A.
• C. A is true, but R is false.
• D. Both A and R are false.

Answer 1

The correct option is A Both A and R is true. R is the correct explanation for A.

Pre-industrial Europe was static and based upon privilege. The most powerful social group was the aristocracy. Its power came from the ownership of the means of production. The class that laboured to produce the agricultural wealth was the peasantry. They were at the bottom of society. They worked on the noble's land and used their mills to process their grains. They were hugely burdened by feudal dues and obligations. Such severe economic circumstances led them to poverty and starvation.