The Pharaoh Has Spoken!
You have decided to reward the farmers for the hard work they do on the land you have rented or sold to them. After all, they produce crops of wheat and barley for making bread and beer , flax for making linen, they plant beans and leeks, figs and pomegranates and cultivate grapes to make wine and the kingdom will always need food!
If the farm workers protested, they would miss the annual cycle where the flood waters receded and the time to begin farming! They need time to prepare the soil with a hoe and not disturb the rich silt left by the flood. They then need to plant the seeds into the soil using sheep and then cut the crops with a sickle during harvest time. If the farmers did not have enough time to do all this work, there would not be any food to give to the officials when they came around the collect half of what was grown each year and Egypt would not be able to trade food with other areas! The sheep, oxen, cattle, geese and goats would starve as well! Good thing you listened to the farmers!
If the farm workers protested, they would miss the annual cycle where the flood waters receded and the time to begin farming! They need time to prepare the soil with a hoe and not disturb the rich silt left by the flood. They then need to plant the seeds into the soil using sheep and then cut the crops with a sickle during harvest time. If the farmers did not have enough time to do all this work, there would not be any food to give to the officials when they came around the collect half of what was grown each year and Egypt would not be able to trade food with other areas! The sheep, oxen, cattle, geese and goats would starve as well! Good thing you listened to the farmers!
But!
The merchants carry out a number of important jobs in Ancient Egypt. These people are brewers, builders, coppersmiths, doctors, goldsmiths, jewellers, metalworkers, paper makers, potters, sandal makers, stonemasons, weavers, wig makers, wood workers, artists, fishermen, incense roasters, priests and scribes. They are unhappy that you have chosen the farmers over them when they are of a higher status!
The merchants carry out a number of important jobs in Ancient Egypt. These people are brewers, builders, coppersmiths, doctors, goldsmiths, jewellers, metalworkers, paper makers, potters, sandal makers, stonemasons, weavers, wig makers, wood workers, artists, fishermen, incense roasters, priests and scribes. They are unhappy that you have chosen the farmers over them when they are of a higher status!
However, more people are needed to work the land than work as merchants, so even though the merchants have decided to boycott their work, you can promote farmers to complete any vital work in the town. After all, the kingdom can last longer without pottery than without food! Besides, soon enough the merchants will realize that they are losing money and that they can be replaced, so they will soon start doing their work again.