The term 'Indian Peasant' refers to a RYOT, which is a four-letter word for a smallholder farmer in India. A RYOT is a person who owns and works a small plot of land, typically growing crops for their own consumption and to sell at local markets. They are usually part of a larger agricultural system, such as a village or cooperative, and are often subject to the control of a landlord or other authority figure. The term 'Indian Peasant' is used to describe this type of farming and the people who practice it.