The Black Death: An Argumentative Essay on the Positive Effects of the Plague. Written by Meaghan Uyede. For the course CHW 3M1

Transcription

1 The Black Death: An Argumentative Essay on the Positive Effects of the Plague Written by Meaghan Uyede For the course CHW 3M1

2 One third of an entire continent seemingly vanished. Small plots of land, hamlets, and even entire villages abandoned. Vast, once majestic fields; now covered in numerous mounds of dirt, concealing the deceased. These were the results of a devastating plague that swept through Europe during the 14 th century, taking with it the lives of young and old, human and beast alike. This plague, known as the Black Death, took with it the lives of approximately 25 million. But out of the ruins came new, revolutionary ideas that acted as a betterment to British society. This essay will prove that the Black Death of the 1300 s had a positive effect on England because it reshaped the structure of social classes, reversed the monetary flow of the economy, and released England from the vices of the Christian church. The pre-plague class structure of England consisted of royalty, knights and lords, and peasants. There was little to no chance for peasants to work their way into a higher social class, and a middle class was non-existent. Approximately 25 million died during the Black Death, most of the victims obviously peasants. 1 This rid England of over-population. The reduced population created a demand for skilled workers, which allowed peasants to choose a place of work. This also allowed them to demand better conditions. The power of choice and the ability to negotiate wages created a primitive form of middle class. Many historians see the evolution of the middle class as the end of chivalry, effectively changing England s social structure. As mentioned previously, with the death of such a multitude of skilled workers, peasants were in demand. [Peasants] became much more expensive and choosey about where they worked. 2 Because of the demand, the lower class was now able to demand fair 1 Ross, David. The Black Death in England Feb < 2 British Broadcasting Corperation. BBC - History - the Black Death's Lasting Impact on <

3 wages. This demand reversed the flow of money in the economy because the money moved from the landlords to the peasants, as the peasants wages were more than the landlords profits. This economic shift led to the creation of laws governing wages. The reverse flow of money put buying power back in the hands of the average person, as opposed to the upper-class stock-piling wealth. This re-balancing helped to move the economy forward. Most importantly, the Black Death granted England religious freedom. Pre-plague, medieval England was controlled by a Christian church with more power than the reigning monarch. Laws banning all but priests and those of status in the religious community from obtaining a copy of the bible enabled the priests to control all actions of their congregations. It has been estimated that 40% of England s priests died in the epidemic. 3 This weakening of the church s hierarchy equally weakened the presence of the church itself. Many noted historians feel that the church never recovered from the devastation of the plague. 4 Not only did the church lose its leaders, it lost many believers who became disillusioned when the churches did not offer a cure for the Black Death. This weakening of the church put the monarchy back in control of its country, and placed religion beneath it in the eyes of society. The changing of loyalties created the basis for a more open-minded way of thinking that would eventually grow into an acceptance of other religions. The more immediate effect was a political based England as opposed to the religion centric one that existed previously, which allowed the ruler to do their job without having to report to the church as though it was a higher authority. 3 British Broadcasting Corperation. BBC - History - the Black Death's Lasting Impact on < 4 British Broadcasting Corperation. BBC - History - the Black Death's Lasting Impact on <

4 One may state that there were many negative effects of the Black Death, but the positives outweigh the negatives. The plague was a cause of severe persecution of Jews. However, it also lead to a more accepting society, where those who found themselves disillusioned with the church looked to other branches of religion. This acceptance would reduce persecution in the long run. Some would argue that the plague killed over one third of Europe s population and no loss of life that large could be positive. Before the Black Death, Europe was severely over-populated. The plague reduced the total population, which lead to better living conditions and a higher standard of living for the lower class. Many also believe the plague forever destroyed the centrality of the Christian religion. It did this, but it had a positive effect. The loss of a central belief meant citizens put their loyalties in their country s political leader which lead to greater unity, as all could follow a leader without being divided by personal beliefs. This sense of unity aided in the modification of a society to accept differences in beliefs. Despite the negative side of the Black Death, it still had a positive over-all effect on European society, and England specifically. The Black Death destroyed an unfair social class system, creating one in which the majority of the population, peasants, had some power over their futures and allowed them to make a profit and choose their living conditions. The new power of the lower class helped balance out money within the economy by taking it from the wealthy through payments to the lower class. Finally, the removal of a central church helped create a more united England without the dividing walls of religion, as it was centered around politics, religion now a secondary priority. The Black Death of the 1300 s positively reshaped the face of social, religious, and economic England by altering the structure of the social class system, reversing the flow of and balancing wealth within society. This proof shows that good can grow from the ashes of any disaster, no matter the magnitude of the situation.

5 Work Cited List British Broadcasting Corperation. BBC - History - the Black Death's Lasting Impact on < Loftus, Melissa., Alex Sherman, and Ashley Quan. The Black Death.. 20 Feb < Ross, David. The Black Death in England Feb < Wikipedia. Black Death - Wikipedia, He Free Encyclopedia.. 20 Feb <