Agrarian (Latent) Surplus Population, a form of relative surplus population under capitalism, a latent form of unemployment in agriculture. An increase in the organic composition of capital in agricultural production causes an absolute reduction in the demand for hired labour. This produces relatively redundant, “ superfluous” labour power. Parallel with this large numbers of small agricultural producers are ruined; the people thus ousted from agricultural production cannot find employment in the towns, and so remain in the countryside. This is what makes agrarian surplus population latent. This form of surplus population exists in towns as well (impoverished craftsmen and tradesmen). Under monopoly capitalism, agrarian surplus population tends to increase. It is especially great in economically less developed countries.