While the arrival of the plague in caused immediate demographic devastation, its long-term impact on the social hierarchy of medieval Britain was even more transformative. Which of the following best describes how the aftermath of the Black Death fundamentally undermined the established feudal system?
- The extreme scarcity of workers enabled the surviving peasantry to demand higher wages and greater freedom, effectively breaking the traditional ties that bound them to the land.Answer
- BThe sudden decrease in population allowed the landed nobility to consolidate their holdings and enforce stricter feudal duties on the remaining serfs to maintain production levels.
- CThe outbreak of the plague in led to an immediate surplus of agricultural land, which the king redistributed equally among the poor to prevent future social unrest.
- DThe death of a large proportion of the merchant class caused a return to a primitive barter economy, which strengthened the local authority of feudal lords over their villages.
Answer
The extreme scarcity of workers enabled the surviving peasantry to demand higher wages and greater freedom, effectively breaking the traditional ties that bound them to the land.
The correct answer explains that the massive loss of life in created a desperate need for workers. Because there were so few people left to work the land, those who survived were in a much stronger position to negotiate. They could leave their home villages to seek better pay elsewhere, which was a direct violation of the old feudal rules that kept serfs tied to one lord's estate. This mobility and the rise in wages were key factors in the eventual decline of serfdom in Britain.
Step-by-Step Solution
Key Concept
The shift from a land-rich/labor-poor economy to a labor-scarce economy which empowered the working class.
Practice More
Review the 'Statute of Labourers' (1351) to see how the government unsuccessfully tried to stop these social changes.
Estimated Time:1m 30s