1580-1650- socio-economic conditions had an impact on original accusations based on tensions in communities; not on actual prosecutions. Improvements in living standards- reduced local village tensions that lay at the heart of witchcraft accusations. Keith Witches less of a threat in local communities- Keith Thomas: introduction of the Poor Law in England led to the poor now being looked after by the state- guilty neighbours no longer had to denounce poor old women as witches to deal with their guilt after refusing to give the poor charity. Elderly and isolated women were no longer feared in communities- they were simply ignored!
3) Decline in pessimism late 17th early 18th century- no longer the link between socio-economic upheaval combined with religious instability, war, harvest failure and plague= deep pessimism/anxiety= identify, accuse and prosecute witches to relieve anxiety- witches (1580-1650) were scapegoats for daily misfortunes of village life and the ills of society.
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