Final answer:
The political, social, and religious changes of the fourteenth century were not inevitable. They were contingent on external factors and events such as crises of authority, famine, war, and the bubonic plague.
Step-by-step explanation:
The political, social, and religious changes of the fourteenth century were contingent on external factors, making them avoidable. While there were certain historical trajectories that influenced these changes, they were not predetermined. The events of the fourteenth century, such as the crises of authority, famine, war, and the bubonic plague, contributed to the destabilization of Europe and led to the decline of feudalism, profound transformations in religious life, and shifts in political power.