本文以臺灣屏東長青村為例，嘗試初步探討「農村」社會分化的機制與意義。長青村村人多種植檳榔，部分人亦種植蓮霧。檳榔與蓮霧對於勞動力、特殊知識與技巧的需求不同，亦有不同的生產與銷售流程，而構成不同的生產關係。檳榔高利潤與低勞動力需求的特性使老人得以維持農業生產，而農外工作者亦可兼業參與；相對的，蓮霧栽培則有專業化的趨勢。本研究嘗試由以生產關係為判準的農民分化研究，進一步討論農民內部對其社會世界之分類。亦即是基於輩份與年齡的倫理考慮，離農或從農的青壯年回歸在家戶之下，由戶長代表參與公共事務，而村中青壯年的戶長則從屬於村中的「老壽」，由「老壽」主導村莊的發展。可以說檳榔種植延長了老農勞動參與的年限，有力的維續老人在家戶內與公共事務上的積極主導的地位。 蓮霧的專業傾向，及檳榔農中分化出檳榔師傅與中盤商的情況並未明顯、直接的反應在個人或家戶不同的影響力上。二者間的差異，並不代表有顯著的高低關係。影響力有多重的來源，在農業生產上的位置僅是其一。由對戶長名義的重視，老壽在村落性宗教祭儀的象徵與村莊發展方向上的主導，村落性活動根據農人的律動等總結來說，長青村人生活行動中展現出以老農為主的意義建構。長青村中絕大多數人仍從事農業生產，但農村內部的分化，必須放到整個村莊重視輩份與年齡的倫理的脈絡下，才能有一個比較完整的了解。本文僅是一個初步嘗試。

　　　　　The differential participation in farming has created differences in productive and distributive processes and relations. In this article, I argue that villagers's ideas of seniority reconcile differences present in economic activities, and order the village in moral terms. Most of the land in Evergreen, Pingtung is under cultivation, but most people living there hold off-farm jobs. Betel nuts and wax apples are the two major crops in Evergreen. Since betel nuts require low labor input and minimal specialization, the elderly and those who hold off-farm jobs are able to maintain their participation in farming. On the contrary, wax apple cultivation appears to become increasingly specialized in terms of knowledge, skills and organization. Wax apple growers are most likely to be full-time farmers. Whether farmers or not, part-time or full-time, young or old subsume their differences in productive and distributive processes and relations under ideas of seniority. Elderly parents usually maintain the symbolically important title of household head until their death, and represent their respective households in village affairs. In village religious rituals and civic affairs, the elderly household heads's opinions weigh more than those of middle-aged household heads. The elderly not only collectively perform duties in achieving a harmonious relationship with gods, enjoy privileges in the form of banquets but also supervise the village's development. Betel nut growing prolongs the elderly's productive years and contributes to the stability and continuity of the ideas of seniority.