Positive Effects Of The Black Death

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Positive Effects of the Black Death

It is difficult to imagine that one of world history’s most tragic events could actually have had any positive outcomes, yet it did indeed. When we consider that this plague wiped out somewhere between 25 and 50% of the population of Europe it is hard to see a good side. From China to Greenland and seemingly everywhere in between the Black Death was a pandemic nearly global in its proportions (Thomas, 6).
Fleas and rats were the carriers of this grotesque disease. Symptoms included high fevers, aching limbs and vomiting of blood. The most noticeable characteristic was a swelling of the lymph nodes. The lymph nodes are found in the neck, armpits, and groin. The swellings continued to expand until they eventually burst, with death following soon after. From the first symptoms to final expiration only lasted three to four days. The swellings were easily visible and its blackish coloring gave the disease its name: The Black Death.
Europe was flourishing it seemed, for nearly half a century before the early thirteen hundreds. Yet, a succession of environmental disasters occurred that set the scene for calamity. Famine and poor harvests were brought on by the “Little Ice Age” and suggested that the years of prosperity were over. In 1347 the plague arrived in Europe at Messina, Sicily and in several years the plague ravaged almost the entire Western world ( Zaller, 378). Europe lost nearly one third of
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its population during this four year period. It seems evident that there is nothing good whatsoever about these tragic events. In fact, some considered this time to be the “Apocalypse” better known as the end of the world. However, when looked at from a different prospective one might conclude otherwise.
Economically speaking the plague had a number of important effects. The severe depopulation was a major contributing factor to many socio-economic change...