Specifically, the peasants had more bargaining power for better conditions because the absolute decrease in their number made each of them more valuable to the ruling class as individuals. There was an increase in peasant revolts, and concessions to the peasantry following the black death partly for this reason.
Comment on Anon isn't worried about population decline
superduperpirate@lemmy.world 3 weeks ago
Ya know, I have vague memories of reading an argument somewhere that the black plague killed off so many peasants that the surviving ones had materially less shitty conditions for a little while, due to scarcity and all that.
sharkfucker420@lemmy.ml 3 weeks ago
logos@sh.itjust.works 2 weeks ago
Peasants only got the ability to leave the land they were bound to to seek better employment elsewhere after the black plague.
Triasha@lemmy.world 3 weeks ago
This is true in places. There are also acounts of places where all the nobility died and the peasants threw weeks long parties.
someguy3@lemmy.world 3 weeks ago
Yup, labor scarcity meant higher wages and bargaining power.
Varesti@lemmy.zip 3 weeks ago
Great news, we’re bringing the plague back too!
ladicius@lemmy.world 3 weeks ago
The actual disease caused by pest bacteria is easily treatable nowadays.
MutantTailThing@lemmy.world 3 weeks ago
Facilitated by such space age concepts as washing your fucking hands and not drinking the corpse-water.
abbadon420@sh.itjust.works 3 weeks ago
That’s “prevention” you’re talking about, not “treatment”, generally considered better, but still.
GolfFoxtrotLima@sh.itjust.works 2 weeks ago
Don’t newer more dangerous plagues and viruses and diseases