Comparing the roles of feudalism before and after the bubonic plague, what impact did the disease have on labor and the role of peasants?(1 point)
Responses
decreased landownership opportunities
increased reliance on nobility
reduced wages
increased social mobility
The bubonic plague had a significant impact on labor and the role of peasants, resulting in decreased landownership opportunities, increased reliance on the nobility, reduced wages, and increased social mobility.
Before the plague, peasants typically worked on the land owned by feudal lords and were tied to the land through serfdom or other forms of unfree labor. They had limited opportunities for landownership and were highly dependent on the nobility for their livelihoods. However, the bubonic plague caused a significant decrease in the population, leading to a scarcity of labor.
As a result, the surviving peasants had more bargaining power and greater opportunities for landownership. The scarcity of labor increased their value, allowing some peasants to negotiate better terms or acquire their own plots of land. This led to a decrease in landownership opportunities for the nobility as peasants became more independent and able to work their own land.
Additionally, with the decrease in population, the nobility became more reliant on the remaining peasants for labor. They had to offer better working conditions and higher wages to attract and retain workers. This meant that peasants experienced a reduction in their workload and improvements in their living conditions.
Furthermore, the decrease in population and the resulting shortage of labor also caused an increase in social mobility. With the scarcity of skilled workers, peasants who possessed marketable skills were in high demand and could command higher wages and better positions. Some peasants were able to improve their social and economic status by obtaining more prestigious roles or becoming artisans.
Overall, the bubonic plague had a transformative impact on the labor system and the role of peasants in feudal society. It led to a decrease in landownership opportunities for the nobility, increased reliance on the remaining peasants for labor, reduced wages, and increased social mobility for those who survived the epidemic.