As common agricultural land was disappearing, the villagers and poor peasants, who had earlier depended on common lands for their survival, had to look for alternative sources of income. The Merchants provided them with this alternative source of income. By working for the merchants, the peasants could remain in the countryside and continue to cultivate their small plots. It allowed the villagers a complete use of their family labour resources, as all the members of the family could work for these merchants.