Essay on Economic Effects of the Black Plague in England

The high middle ages from the eleventh to the fourteenth century saw the reemergence of urban life, the revival of long distance commerce, innovation, maturation of manorial agriculture, and a burgeoning population. Consequently, the fourteenth century spawned war, famine, disease and economic decay, leading to what many historians believe to be the end of the Middle Ages. Although there were many contributing factors such as famine, collapsing institutions and war. Many historians believe the arrival of the Black Death to England in 1348 was the final straw, and the most impactful agent of change in that area. In a letter to his brother, Petrarch wrote, â€Å"When has any such thing been even heard or seen; in what annals has it ever been†¦show more content†¦With depopulation, agricultural and commerce reform and labor force alterations, the effects of the Black Death in England were dramatic and placed the course of the English economy on a new path. To gain perspectiv e on the level of economic change in England, it is important to note and understand the population trends, as it had a directly impacted all aspects of change in regards to the economic effects of the Black Plague. In simple terms, the number of people had a direct impact on the most basic categories of the economy: production and consumption. An expanding population is only possible if it has the economic resources to support it. It seems the Black Death’s impact on population levels actually created a silver lining based on the â€Å"Malthusian Theory† where English scholar Thomas Malthus claims, â€Å"[t]hat the superior power of population is repressed, and the actual population kept equal to the means of subsistence, by misery and vice.† As England was experiencing overpopulation, there was not enough agricultural production to support the masses, but as the force of the Black Death swept in and decimated the population, it left England with abundance of land and less people to support, resulting in a balance between agricultural productivity and consumption. Although the Black Plague created shock, panic and fear for a few years, this alteration in population left survivors with an optimistic outlookShow MoreRelatedThe Effect Of The Black Plague On The Economic Situation Of England1675 Words   |  7 Pagesdocuments. Document 60 on wage and price regulations contains the Ordinance of Labourers, 1349 and the London Wage and Price Regulations, 1350. Both of these are laws issued by Parliament in order to combat the numerous effects of the Black Plague on the economic situation of England. They attempt to do this by fixing wages and prices on goods and services, imposing caps on amounts of certain goods sold, mandate the work of all persons under 60, and ban the leaving of one man’s service for anotherRead MorePlagues in England: Death Is in the Air Essay688 Words   |  3 PagesIf one were to think back to when the only cures society had were rituals, a prime example of sickness in a society is England. Recalling the plagues in England, one can easily see the two prominent plagues that struck, along with how they affected English economy and culture. In the 1300’s, England was struck with a plague called the Bubonic Plague, better known as the â€Å"Black Death.† Historians believe this disease arrived by ship at a seaport in modern day Ukraine (Byrne 1). Fleas living onRead MoreLooking Back at the Middle Ages1485 Words   |  6 Pagesreligious and economic events, which have shaped history since that time, and the world today. One such event that has affected the politics of the Middle Ages and now was the signing of the Magna Carta. Secondly, was the Black Death (also known as the Bubonic Plague that affected the religious, social, and economic aspects. An event that affected the religious and economic aspects were the Crusades. There was also the rise of the Ottoman Empire which affected the social, political, and economic aspectsRead MoreEssay on Black Death with Wings of Light1479 Words   |  6 Pagesdeathliest plagues that ever struck mankind, the Black Death? 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