The much-dreaded “underpopulation” problem

By Lance Olsen, Unfiltered 12-18-07

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The Economic Consequences of the Bubonic Plague are easy to see as well. Construction projects were stopped or even abandoned, guilds lost their craftsmen, without the ability to replace them, important machinery broke, and those with the ability to repair them had died. Due to the severe labour shortage, towns began to advertise for specialists at high wages. Standards of living rose for those still alive, as there was an over-supply of goods at low prices. Since so many had died during the plague, the peasants now had a wide variety of work available to them. They demanded wages, as well as better working conditions. If the landlord failed to provide these, the peasants would simply leave to find better work. As already mentioned, the prices for many things dropped since there was less demand for them. On the contrary, some prices also rose, especially specialty teams that needed to be made by a qualified craftsman. The nobility did not like the many changes that were taking place in "their" society. The government attempted to intervene by making laws that would keep the employees from changing work too frequently and setting wage limits. They wanted to return to the feudal system that had done them so much good for so many years. Unfortunately for them, it was already too late, the plague had changed the economy irreversibly.


Although many perished because of the plague, life did go on. Those left behind mourned for the great losses they had been affected by, yet their lives were improved by what had happened. Their living standards had risen, prices for most goods had dropped, and the ordinary man was no longer enslaved by his lord. As the Bubonic Plague disappeared from Europe, a new time period began, namely the Renaissance. A more scientific view of the world replaced the traditional myths and superstitions. Today we know to combat the plague with proper sanitation, the killing of rats who can spread the disease, and antibiotics. Sadly, traces still remain in some parts of today's world where the Black Death claims its victims. Undoubtedly, the Black Death brought about changes that could never be reversed.

http://www.geocities.com/julia09/endofplague.html

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