Social and Economic problems Flashcards
What was the population growth between 1525-1551?
2.3 → 3 million, leading to an increase in the dependency ratio
As agricultural production failed to meet demand what happened?
Price rises and inflation. Only made worse by the bad harvests
How did Henry excacrterbate inflation and poverty?
Henry VIII’s expensive foreign policy and the debasement of the coinage
What did the dissolution of the monasteries lead to?
Removal of an establishment set up to aid the poor
What caused unemployment?
Enclosures and depression in the cloth trade
What did poverty lead to?
Increase in begging and crime
What was the Vagrancy act of 1547?
It condemned beggars to slavery
What played a key role in disturbances?
Social inequality and perceived greed of the local nobility
What happened to grain prices?
They rose very quickly, faster than meat dairy or wool
What prevented an increase in agricultural production?
Lack of scientific methods
What happened in the 1540’s?
A dramatic rise in prices
What prevented there from being enough food for subsistence
Bad harvests
How did somerste create inflation?
Somerset’s wars and further debasement
What were enclosures?
When fences and hedges would be put up on the previously open ground with the landowners often ignoring the rights of others
What was enclosre land used for and what was the economic impact of this?
raising sheep instead of growing crops which was seen to harm jobs within the economy
