Sociology Plus
Definition
Agrarian societies are those where agriculture is the primary source of employment. Agricultural civilizations have low social and geographic mobility rates and engage in subsistence farming. These communities are traditional and establish strong social bonds with other community members.
Explanation
These are civilizations where more than fifty percent of people work in agriculture and related sectors. For example, India is an agricultural nation where most people live in villages. As land is the foundation of wealth in an agrarian culture, social institutions become more rigid. People who possess the land and can cultivate it are more powerful and prestigious than those who do not. A governing class of landowners and a lower class of laborers coexist in agricultural cultures.
Additionally, the availability of extra food permits a higher population density. As a result, agrarian societies eventually give way to urban communities.