Question

The following questions refer to the passage below.

"I, Edward, by the grace of God king of England, sent this decree to the sheriff of Kent (a region in southeastern England). A great portion of the people of our realm have recently died. Those who survive see that masters need servants, which are scarce, and the servants will not serve unless they receive excessive wages. After consulting with the nobles and clergy, we have decided that every man and woman of our realm of England shall be required to serve his or her lord at the wages that were provided in the year 1346. Merchants, those who belong to craft guilds, and those who own their land are exempt from this rule.

The lords are entitled to keep their serfs. If any such serf, man or woman, who is required to serve their lord will not do so, they shall be immediately committed to jail."

King Edward III of England, the Statute of Laborers, parliamentary decree, 1351

Based on the passage, the Statute of Laborers was most likely a direct response to which of the following?


A) The emergence of feudalism in Western Europe

B) The development of Parliament as a check on the power of the English monarch

C) The impact of the bubonic plague epidemic on England's economy

D) The labor shortages in the English countryside resulting from frequent military conflicts with France

Answer 1

The Statute of Laborers was likely a response to the bubonic plague's impact on England's economy, addressing labor shortages and controlling wage inflation post-plague.

Step-by-step explanation:

Based on the passage, the Statute of Laborers was most likely a direct response to the impact of the bubonic plague epidemic on England's economy. The bubonic plague, also known as the Black Death, drastically reduced the population, which in turn led to a scarcity of labor and a rise in wages due to increased demand for workers. The statute aimed to regulate wages and bind workers to their lords to mitigate the economic disruption caused by the plague, particularly the labor shortages and the subsequent increase in wage demands. It is clear from the decree that the government was attempting to enforce pre-plague wage rates and conditions, and it exempted merchants, those in craft guilds, and landowners, indicating an adaptation to the changed societal structure post-plague.