Legal Definitions - peonage

Definition: Peonage refers to the illegal and involuntary servitude that is imposed on a person in order to satisfy a debt. This means that a person is forced to work for someone else without their consent because they owe them money. For example, if a person borrows money from someone and is unable to pay it back, the lender may force them to work for them until the debt is paid off.

Examples:

• A farmer in the South during the late 1800s may have borrowed money from a landowner to buy seeds and equipment. If the farmer was unable to pay back the loan, the landowner could force them to work on their farm until the debt was paid off. This was a form of peonage.
• In modern times, some employers may illegally force their employees to work long hours without pay in order to satisfy a debt. This is also a form of peonage.

These examples illustrate how peonage is a form of forced labor that is used to satisfy a debt. It is illegal and violates a person's rights to freedom and autonomy.