Why did Dutch and English landowners force peasants

Question

off the land?
to motivate people to emigrate overseas
to use the land in more profitable ways
to build cities on what used to be farmland
to build up local cottage industries

Answer 1

Dutch and English landowners forced peasants off the land primarily to use the land in more profitable ways. This often involved consolidating smaller farms into larger, more efficient agricultural operations, which allowed landowners to increase productivity and profits. The enclosure movement, particularly in England, is an example of this phenomenon, where common lands were privatized and consolidated, leading to the displacement of many peasants. While other options like encouraging emigration or building cities may have been secondary consequences or associated with future developments, the primary motivation was usually economic efficiency and profit maximization.