Which labor system required citizens to work for the state in the Inca Empire?

The mit'a system was a labor system used by the Inca Empire that required citizens to work for the state. It was essentially a form of mandatory public service, where citizens were required to provide labor for the state for a certain period of time, typically for agricultural work, construction projects, or mining activities. This system was crucial for the functioning of the Inca economy and the maintenance of their extensive infrastructure, such as roads, temples, and irrigation systems.

The mit'a system was distinct in that it did not primarily serve individual landowners but the state itself, which organized and directed labor for communal projects. Under this system, the Inca state could mobilize a large workforce to support its ambitious projects and military campaigns, contributing to the empire's ability to exert control over its vast territory.

Other labor systems, such as serfdom, the repartimiento, and encomienda, had different structures and functions. Serfdom involved individuals who were legally bound to work on a specific estate, typically for private landowners. The repartimiento system was similar to mit'a but was often characterized by a forced labor regimen imposed on Indigenous peoples during the colonial period and sometimes connected to the encomienda system, where Spanish settlers were granted the labor of Indigenous populations