The Yoke of an oppressive regime holds the peasants of Brazil to the land. Life expectancy is twenty-seven years, and starvation and torture form a part of everyday life. Yet from this demoralized group has sprung a force of bitter opposition.

Francisco Juliao, a lawyer from the North East of Brazil, who devoted his career to lighting corruption in that area, tells the story of the formation of the Peasant League in 1955. Thousands of desperate peasants braved intimidation to join him and the League became a powerful force.