agrarian society


agrarian society

any form of society especially traditional societies, primarily based on agricultural and craft production rather than industrial production. The major preindustrial civilizations, e.g. preindustrial Christendom, China, India, were predominantly agrarian societies. Sometimes simpler societies, e.g. HUNTER-GATHERERS, which are not based on settled agriculture are referred to as preagrarian (see Hall, 1985).