Glossary · Term

Corvée labour

Also known as corvée

Corvée labour is unpaid work required by a state from its subjects, often for building and maintaining public works or for military service. The Han Dynasty imposed labour obligations on its peasant population, following the punishing demands that had destroyed the Qin. The Khmer Empire mobilised corvée labour for its temples, irrigation works and armies.

Mentioned in 6 profiles

Han DynastyFoundationBaekjeSocioeconomyUnited Kingdom of IsraelGovernanceAyutthaya KingdomSocioeconomy, Military, DeclineRattanakosin KingdomSocioeconomy, MilitaryNguyen dynastySocioeconomy

Mentioned in 2 state histories

Kumul KhanateFrench protectorate of Laos

See also

Cite this entry
APA
The Epoch Institute. (2026). Corvée labour. In The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/corvee-labour
MLA
“Corvée labour.” The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/corvee-labour. Accessed .
Chicago
The Epoch Institute. “Corvée labour.” The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/corvee-labour.
Harvard
The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘Corvée labour’, The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/corvee-labour (Accessed: ).

Last reviewed October 2026Random entry ↻