(i) Disappearing open field system : In the countryside, the open field system was prevailing. i.e.. land was free and anyone could use it for production. But as the population increased, the open field system started disappearing. The rich landlords started enclosing the open fields. (ii) Cottagers and poor peasants: They had earlier depended on common lands for their survival, gathering the firewood, berries, vegetables, hay and straw. Now they had to look for alternative sources of income. (iii) Small fields : As most of the land was acquired by the rich landlords, the poor had tiny plots of land which could not provide work for all the members of the household. So when merchants came around, and offered advances to produce goods for them, peasant households eagerly agreed. (iv) Full utilisation of family labour resources : By working for the merchants, the poor peasants and the artisans could continue to remain in the countryside, and cultivate their small plots (v) Income : Income from proto-industrial production supplemented their shrinking income from cultivation. It also allowed them a fuller use of their family labour resources.