Peón

Peón refers to a class of agricultural laborers who often worked under debt bondage or as tenants in Latin America, particularly during the colonial and post-colonial eras. The peonage system was characterized by a worker, or peón, who was tied to a landowner through a debt, often for food, lodging, or tools. This debt was typically difficult to repay, leading to a perpetual state of servitude that could be passed down through generations.

The peón system originated from the Spanish encomienda system, which granted Spanish colonists the right to labor and tribute from indigenous populations. Over time, this evolved into a system where landowners could advance wages or goods to laborers, creating a debt that the laborer was obligated to repay through work. In many instances, the value of the labor was less than the accumulated debt, trapping the peón in a cycle of dependency.

While often described as wage laborers, peones had limited freedom and were tied to the land. Their living conditions varied but were generally poor. The system was prevalent in countries like Mexico, Peru, and Guatemala, and contributed to significant social and economic inequalities. Abolitionist movements and reforms in the 19th and 20th centuries gradually dismantled the peonage system, though its legacy continued to influence labor relations and social structures in many regions for decades.