corvée

Corvée refers to an obligation of unpaid, unfree labor imposed by a feudal lord or the state on peasants or subjects, typically to perform tasks for public works or the lord's demesne. The obligation was usually fixed in days of work per year rather than cash rent, and could include duties such as road maintenance, bridge construction, harvest labor, or other infrastructure tasks. It was enforced by local authorities and sometimes allowed coercive measures.

In medieval and early modern Europe, corvée was a common feature of feudal and absolutist states, particularly in rural communities where peasants owed labor as part of their tenancy. The form, scope, and duration varied by region; in some places it operated alongside or in place of taxes and rents. Following modernization and revolution, many states curtailed or abolished corvée obligations, replacing them with monetary taxes or paid labor for public works. The French Revolution, for example, contributed to systemic reforms that diminished feudal labor dues; similar processes occurred elsewhere over the 18th and 19th centuries.

In contemporary usage, corvée is often used to describe any mandatory, unpaid labor demanded by the state or an institution, and is generally discussed as a historical or theoretical concept rather than a current legal practice in most parts of the world. It remains a term in legal and historiographical discussions about coercive labor systems.