Nomads and Farmers: Who’s the Real Livestock?

Ever notice how history paints nomads as wild, dangerous outsiders, while farmers are seen as the backbone of “civilization”? But think about it — who’s really free in that story?

Farmers are tied to the land. They work the same fields day after day, season after season. They’re easy to find, easy to tax, easy to control. In fact, they need protection from the state to keep their land, crops, and borders secure. The state loves farmers because they’re predictable — like livestock in a pen.

Nomads, though? They’re the wild card. They move, adapt, and survive on their own terms. You can’t fence them in or tax them consistently. That’s why states have always hated nomads. From Native tribes in North America to the Mongols of the steppe, nomadic groups were seen as threats to “order” because they didn’t depend on centralized control.

The conflict between nomads and farmers wasn’t just about land. It was about freedom vs. control. Farmers got protection — but at the cost of being bound to the state. Nomads lived free, but at the risk of being hunted or pushed out.

So, who’s the real livestock here? The nomads who roamed freely? Or the farmers who fenced themselves in and became the state’s most reliable resource?