The Enforcement of the Statutes of Labourers, 1349-1359

What it is

This is a book written by Bertha Haven Putnam and published in 1908, originally her doctoral thesis at Columbia University. It studies how the Statute of Labourers was enforced in England during the first decade after the Black Death, from 1349 to 1359.

Why it matters

After the Black Death killed huge numbers of workers, labour became scarce and wages began to rise. English authorities responded with laws trying to force wages back down and keep workers tied to their previous employers. This book examines how those laws were actually enforced, showing the economic and social upheaval the plague caused long after the disease itself had passed.

Look closer

• Why might a shortage of workers lead to governments trying to control wages by law?
• What does the need for such laws suggest about the balance of power between workers and landowners before the plague?
• What might official enforcement records leave out about ordinary workers' experiences?