Forced unpaid labor; a system of compulsory service or corvée historically used in India.
From Hindi begar, from Persian beg-kari (chief's work or forced labor). The term describes the feudal system of labor extraction that persisted in India under both local rulers and British colonial administration.
The begar system was so deeply resented that Indian independence movements specifically targeted it—Gandhi's salt march and nonviolent resistance were partly reactions to seeing communities forced into unpaid labor.
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