While some peasants managed to improve their social and economic status by taking advantage of new opportunities in trade and commerce, the majority of peasants continued to live in poverty and oppression.
Exposure to new ideas and values: The Renaissance brought with it a wave of new ideas and values that challenged the traditional beliefs and values of the peasantry. These ideas, which included humanism, individualism, and the questioning of traditional authority, found some resonance among the peasantry, but they also posed a threat to the established social order.
Increased exploitation: In many areas, the Renaissance led to increased exploitation of the peasantry. As the demand for luxury goods and services grew, landlords and other powerful individuals sought to extract more labour and resources from the peasantry. This often resulted in increased rents, taxes, and other forms of oppression.
Peasants' revolts: In response to the increased exploitation and oppression, the peasantry sometimes rose in revolt. These revolts, which often took the form of mass uprisings, were largely unsuccessful, but they demonstrated the peasants' determination to resist their oppression.
The long-term impact: In the long run, the Renaissance did not fundamentally alter the social structure of European society, but it did set the stage for the emergence of modern capitalism and the eventual liberation of the peasantry. The new ideas and values that emerged during the Renaissance, along with the increased social mobility and exposure to the wider world, contributed to the decline of feudalism and the rise of a more egalitarian society.