Final answer:
The plague led to the destruction of the feudal system in medieval Europe by causing depopulation that shifted the balance of power from feudal lords to surviving peasants and laborers. In Egypt, the economic infrastructure, especially irrigation systems, crumbled due to recurring plague outbreaks and a shortage of labor to maintain them.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Economic System Destroyed by the Plague
The economic system that was destroyed because of the massive number of deaths caused by the plague was the feudal system in medieval Europe. The Black Death, which swept through Europe in the 14th century, led to depopulation and major socioeconomic shifts. Surviving peasants faced reduced competition for jobs and land, allowing them to demand better working conditions and higher wages, thus undermining the foundations of the feudal system. In Egypt, the plague had a different impact, leading to the destruction of its economic infrastructure, especially the irrigation systems critical for agriculture, as recurrent outbreaks decimated the labor force required to maintain them.
Europe experienced a unique transformation. The shortage of labor prompted by the plague gave surviving workers increased leverage to renegotiate their contracts with feudal lords. This shift in power dynamics, along with weakened dependence on the nobility, contributed to the eventual downfall of the feudal system. Moreover, the depopulation altered societal views, diminishing the acceptance of the divine rights of the social elites and prompting peasant revolts, further destabilizing the existing social order.
In contrast, Egypt's experience reflects how geography and social structures shaped a different post-plague economic outcome. The severe depopulation affected the Nile's irrigation systems and consequently the agricultural output that was vital to Egypt's economy. Consequently, the recurrent plagues in the 14th and 15th centuries led to sustained economic decline.