The positive effects of the bubonic plague

The death of many workers created a labor shortage and a rise in wages. Many landowners commuted labor services to money rents in order to keep their tenants.

These changes were both positive and negative and contributed to conditions favorable to the decline of feudalism, the end of the Middle Ages and the emergence of the Renaissance. The most obvious cultural influences were seen in the art and literature of this period.

In 14th century Europeartistic and literary expression took on a dark humor and tone in order to cope with the tragedy. For instance, the Italian Boccaccio set his Decameron in the plague year, Keys Boccacio and Chaucer both mocked the hopelessness of those who have nothing else to lose.

The art of the period also showed the bleakness of the situation. Drawings were morose, full of death and destruction. The people of the 14th century struggled with the failure of their religion. The Church could not save people from the disease, leading many Europeans to question their beliefs.

In that time doctors did not understand the origin of disease and how it was transmitted, so it was common for people to believe that supernatural powers were in control. They saw the plague as divine punishment.

Flagellation, the act of self-mutilation through whipping, became common and many people began to beat themselves in the hope of atoning for their supposed sins. Failure of the Church to protect the people and its own clergy led to a dramatic loss of power and influence.

The conclusion was that there must be something wrong with the Church itself that warranted punishment. However, it was far easier for people to loose faith and to point at the shortcomings or responsibility of others.

Specific group were singled out for persecution and the Jews quickly became the primary scapegoats for the 14th century plague. This religious group was accused of conspiring to spread the plague, since Jews were often merchants and the infected rats were carried by merchants.

Attacks against this group and systematic persecution continued through the late Middle Ages.Effects of the Plague. The Bubonic Plague killed 25 million people, 1\3 of Europe's population back in the s and still may cause deaths a year, mostly in ages 20 and older.

May 08,  · Best Answer: If you think feudalism is a bad thing (I'm sure some serfs did), then the end of feudalism would be a positive effect of the Black Death.

Also, the wages of workers and laborers rose significantly after the plague. Both of these effects are due to the supply and demand of benjaminpohle.com: Resolved. Because the Black Death killed so many people, there was much more demand for the workers and peasants who survived.

They First of all, we should note that it is a little cold-blooded to talk about positive effects of this horrible human tragedy.

Geneticists are continuing to document the effects of the Black Death on Europe's population today. Analysis has shown that genetic diversity in England is much lower than it was in the eleventh century, perhaps because so many people died in the s.

May 08,  · Best Answer: If you think feudalism is a bad thing (I'm sure some serfs did), then the end of feudalism would be a positive effect of the Black Death.

Also, the wages of workers and laborers rose significantly after the plague. Both of these effects are due to the supply and demand of benjaminpohle.com: Resolved. Jan 28,  · Despite the horrors of bubonic plague, Europe showed remarkable resilience in its survival.

The Black Death, tragic though it was, may have made the world a brighter place. The following improvements to society would no doubt have inevitably evolved .