The Late Roman Empire, in a desperate bid for fiscal and agricultural stability, forced most of its farmers to remain on the land and imposed absurd quotas. As a result, ever more dissatisfied farmers left their land and joined forces with marauding barbarians. When the Roman Empire finally crumbled, it left behind decayed cities, abandoned roads, and collapsed trade networks; in search of sustenance, urban populations moved to the countryside. Yet, without farming knowledge, resources or defensive capabilities, they became dependent on powerful landowners who had secured vast territories and were organising to fend off the barbarians: the medieval order was born.
Fast forward to today: are we witnessing the emergence of a new kind of agro-feudalism, although through an entirely different historical mechanism?
The Rise of Corporate Agriculture
With automation, AI, synthetic fertilisers, and corporate consolidation, agriculture is being fundamentally restructured. Independent farmers are increasingly marginalised, replaced by mechanised agribusinesses and data-driven food production. The Dutch farmers' revolt offered a glimpse of resistance, but was it a futile last stand against the inevitable? As environmental regulations tighten across Europe, traditional agriculture is under siege, while multinational corporations strengthen their grip on global food supplies. Just as in late antiquity, when imperial policies favoured large estate holders, today’s regulations and economic trends seem to benefit corporate interests while sidelining the independent farmer.
Organic farming is often seen as the alternative to this. However, while it was once seen as a way to empower farmers and now has a market value in excess of $200 billion, it has largely become a marketing tool benefiting big corporations. Regulations designed to promote sustainability often place small farmers at a disadvantage, much like how medieval serfs were legally bound while feudal lords profited. Similarly, deregulation, touted as a means to empower farmers, risks opening the floodgates to monopolies that consolidate land ownership and further entrench the emerging agro-feudal hierarchy. Meanwhile, global trade deals also threaten domestic farming. The proposed Mercosur agreement, for instance, expected to boost trade by €87 billion, has sparked fierce debate in France, where farmers fear an influx of cheap imports will undercut their livelihoods.
