Ordinance of Labourers
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The Ordinance of Labourers was a piece of legislation consisting of regulations and price controls issued by King Edward III of England in June 18, 1349. The ordinance was issued in response to the 1348-1350 outbreak of the Black Death in England. During this outbreak, an estimated 30-40% of the population died.[1] The decline in population left surviving workers in great demand in the agricultural economy of Britain. Landowners had to face the choice of raising wages to compete for workers or letting their lands go unused. Wages for labourers rose and translated into inflation across the economy as goods became more expensive to produce.
The wealthy elites suffered under the sudden economic shift. Difficulties in hiring labour created frustration. John Gower commented on post-plague labourers: "they are sluggish, they are scarce, and they are grasping. For the very little they do they demand the highest pay."[2]
The ordinance which required several things including:
- Everyone under 60 must work.
- Employers must not hire excess workers
- Employers may not pay and workers may not receive wages higher than pre-plague levels
- Food must be priced reasonably with no excess profit
The ordinance has largely been seen as ineffective. Despite the English parliament's attempt of reinforcing the ordinance with the Statute of Labourers of 1351, workers continued to command higher wages and the majority of England (those in the labouring class) enjoyed a century of relative prosperity before the ratio of labor to land restored the pre-plague levels of wages and prices. While the economic situation eventually reverted, the plague radically altered the social structure of English society.
