Economic change and its social impact
The social impact of religious and economic changes under Mary I
- Created by: ellarachel
- Created on: 05-12-17 10:48
View mindmap
- Economic change and its social impact
- Mary inherited a serious economic situation in 1553, and this grew worse during her reign as inflation continued, culminating in serious distress in the years 1556-58. There was a serious of bad harvest and the population suffered bouts of various epidemics, including the plague.
- Social distress
- Long term: Population growth combined with a limited increase in productivity (particularly agriculture) caused inflation
- Medium term: Effect of debasement of coinage made inflation worse
- Short term: harvest failures 1555 and 1556 (severe food shortages, strain on real wages for the poor), impact of 'sweating sickness' 1557 and 1558, high taxation to pay for war against France
- The government made some attempt to address the issues
- 1556-58, re-coinage plans were drawn up (although not carried out until Elizabeth was queen)
- 1555: the Poor Law Act extended the Act of 1552 and ordered licensed beggars to wear badges, this was intended to encourage fellow parishioners into donating more alms for poor relief.
- Encouragement was given to the conversion of pasture land to crop farming
- Movement of industries from town to countryside was discouraged in an attempt to reduce urban unemployment
- Not all measures were a success, however, and any benefits were not realised under Elizabeth's reign.
- One area of economic success was the reorganisation of the administration and finance of the navy, six new ships were built and others were repaired, laying the foundations for the powerful navy of Elizabeth's reign
Comments
No comments have yet been made