Final answer:
Enclosure of the commons was justified as a means to increase efficiency and productivity in agriculture. However, this movement displaced small farmers, increased poverty, and contributed to urbanization.
Step-by-step explanation:
The enclosure movement was justified with arguments such as efficiency and improvements in agriculture. Proponents claimed that enclosed lands led to better agricultural productivity because they allowed for improved farming techniques. An enclosed system also reduced the wastage seen in the common land system because each individual farmer was responsible for their own strip of land.
However, the elimination of the commons had serious social consequences. For instance, it led to the displacement of small farmers who were reliant on common land for their survival. This led to increased poverty and forced many to become wage laborers in cities, contributing to the urbanization associated with the Industrial Revolution.
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