Historians such as Bridbury have argued that this has been overstated, and the impacts were not as severe as is indicated. He argues that wages did not rise, and even in such cases where they did the subsequent rises in prices meant no improvements had really been made for Serfs. Furthermore, Hatcher points out that in fact the incomes of landlords did not deteriorate, showing that even if wages had risen, it was not of detriment to the landlords and the subsequent relationship with its Serfs. However, the legislation brought in at the time provides compelling evidence to prove that wages rose and indeed conditions for the Serfs improved. The Ordinance of Labourers of 1349 and the Statute of Labourers Act of 1351 had the direct intention of preventing high wages from being achieved and keeping Serfs attached to land. Prosecutions under these acts, where landlords were prosecuted for paying wages far in excess of the maximum allowed, add more weight to this argument. This displays that even the law could not prevent this transformation, and shows the lengths employers would go to receive labour. Furthermore, employers found ways around the legislation; employees were paid in cash and in kind. It was commonplace for ‘with food’ deals to be made or gifts worth large amounts of money given to substantially raise the average wage rate. An example of this would be in Whitney in 1363, where winnowers were given curall wheat worth 30s on top of their wages, which extended their piece-rates from 5 1/4d to 8d per task. The influence of the Serfs becomes clear and the power was shifting from the landlord to the Serfs.
It is clear that the aspirations of Serfs and the declining nature of Serfdom was already occurring before the post-plague period. In Bologna, Italy, emancipation of the Serfs was already achieved in 1256. In addition to this, in England, Serfdom had already tended to decline, many peasants were free before the Black death with just 59% in the East and Central Midlands classed as Serfs or villeins. However, there were still major grievances throughout Europe over the survival of the ‘unfree status’. The fact that some Serfs were gaining freedom in Hilton’s eyes must have had an effect on those who were still tied to Serfdom. He stresses that in reality, what caused the decline and eventual emancipation of the Serfs was the constant pressure applied from peasants for change. Though this may be the case, it was the Black Death which gave the peasants the means to outline their demands. Razi believes that the Black Death ‘imbued the survivors with a spirit of rampant individualism’. They had survived the greatest plague the world has ever seen, so they were now valued much higher and had far more power. Now was the time to really push for freedom. This is shown through the peasant uprisings which resulted in the post-plague years, happening in England, France in Flanders and Sothern France, Portugal and Germany. A major grievance of the Peasants Revolt of 1381 was that Serfdom still existed. The determination and persistence of the peasants ultimately meant that they achieved their goals. However, it was the Black Death which gave them the means to achieve this and thus sped up a process which was already beginning to develop in the late thirteenth and early fourteenth century.
The arguments against the theory that the Black Death had a substantial impact on the decline of Serfdom purport notions that the process was already in effect and that it was inevitable, indicated by historians such as Bridbury and Hatcher. However, it is clear that even with counter arguments the Black Death cannot be ignored. Henneman argues how it was not the Black Death, but a trend towards a more centralised assembly. In France Serfs were therefore able to break free from the bonds of Serfdom; they could buy their freedom. Furthermore, in Germany a reform called Weistümer was introduced, which outlined peasants’ statutory rights. However, the Black Death contributed to these reforms, without the increased belief and push from peasants these reforms would not have been made. Furthermore, Bowsky argues that the severity of the plague in different areas makes it difficult to accurately comprehend the impact of the Black Death. In reality, this reinforces the Black Death as a contributor to the decline. In areas such as East Germany, Russia and eastern and central Europe as a whole, the impact of the Black Death was not as substantial. as areas such as Italy, where in Siena it is estimated 85% of the population were killed. It seems the extent to which the Black Death affected an area has a positive correlation with the decline of Serfdom.
In conclusion it is right to assume that the Black Death did not create the decline to Serfdom. The road to emancipation had been paved long before the bubonic plague hit Europe. However, the Black Death was an important contributory and direct factor to its development of the decline. The Black Death reduced population, especially in the labour force, which meant Serfs became more valuable and gave the peasants the power to exercise the already existing desire for freedom. This was shown through their demand for higher wages, less working hours and freedom of movement. Serfdom values were being directly challenged.. Historians such as Bridbury and Hatcher have argued the impact of the Black Death has been exaggerated and was minimal. However, the legislation in the years following the Black Death and accounts of contemporaries of the time provide strong evidence to disprove this thesis. Furthermore its effects on other main factors contributing to the decline of Serfdom confirm the role of the Black Death in affecting and accelerating the process in declining Serfdom. For example, the peasants themselves have been given great credit for their own freedom through their persistence, and the political alterations which meant changes, on a greater scale, could occur. Both of these factors were affected by the Black Death in giving the peasants the power and opportunity to exercise their beliefs, thus creating the political change. The Black Death therefore directly contributed by reducing the population and, as a secondary factor, by giving the peasants the ability to persist for, and force, change.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
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W. M. Bowsky. ‘The Impact of the Black Death upon Sienese Government and Society’ in Speculum, 39 (1964) p16-17
W. M. Bowsky. ‘The Impact of the Black Death upon Sienese Government and Society’ in Speculum, 39 (1964) p16