在12到19世纪，在以英国为代表的欧洲出现了所谓的圈地运动。由中世纪到18世纪，整个欧洲的农业体系十分相似。封建社会的农业体系通常使用敞田制。在每个庄园领主的土地上，都会安排一片“公有地”。这片地的所有者并非广大平民的或者国家的，而是有特定领主的。只是这些地不安排耕种，而该领主属下的平民有权在其上从事有限制的放牧、采柴、摘野果等活动。最早追溯到12世纪，在英国，少数“公有地”被圈起，成为一般民众不得使用的私有田。而这一运动在十五和十六世纪迅速展开。16世纪至17世纪，圈地行为被罗马天主教会公开指责，反对圈地行为的法令也被颁布。然而18世纪欧洲农业的机械化要求宽阔、集成的农田，之前的敞田制成为了瓶颈。之后一系列的国会法案，使英国圈地运动于1801年被合法化。

Enclosure (sometimes inclosure) was the legal process in England during the 18th century of enclosing a number of small landholdings to create one larger farm. Once enclosed, use of the land became restricted to the owner, and it ceased to be common land for communal use. In England and Wales the term is also used for the process that ended the ancient system of arable farming in open fields. Under enclosure, such land is fenced (enclosed) and deeded or entitled to one or more owners. The process of enclosure began to be a widespread feature of the English agricultural landscape during the 16th century. By the 19th century, unenclosed commons had become largely restricted to rough pasture in mountainous areas and to relatively small parts of the lowlands.