The Statute of Labourers ( 25 Edw. 3. Stat. 2) was an act of the

Parliament of England The Parliament of England was the legislature of the Kingdom of England from the 13th century until 1707 when it was replaced by the Parliament of Great Britain. Parliament evolved from the Great Council of England, great council of Lords Spi ...

under King Edward III in 1351 in response to a labour shortage, which aimed at regulating the labour force by prohibiting requesting or offering a wage higher than pre-Plague standards and limiting movement in search of better conditions. The popular narrative about its success and enforcement holds that it was poorly enforced and did not stop the rise in real wages. However, immediately after the

Black Death The Black Death was a bubonic plague pandemic that occurred in Europe from 1346 to 1353. It was one of the list of epidemics, most fatal pandemics in human history; as many as people perished, perhaps 50% of Europe's 14th century population. ...

, real wages did not rise, despite the labour shortage.

Background

The

, a pandemic of bubonic plague, killed more than one-third of the population of Europe and 30–40% of the population in Britain and caused a dramatic decrease in the supply of labour. Landowners suddenly faced a sharp increase in competition for workers to work for them. Labourers had increased bargaining power and commanded higher wages. The increase in labour cost also led to inflation throughout the economy. The elite class lamented the sudden shift in economic power. In an attempt to control labour costs and price levels, Edward III issued the Ordinance of Labourers 1349 ( 23 Edw. 3). Parliament attempted to reinforce the Ordinance with the Statute of Labourers. It was one of the causes, among others, of the

Peasants' Revolt The Peasants' Revolt, also named Wat Tyler's Rebellion or the Great Rising, was a major uprising across large parts of England in 1381. The revolt had various causes, including the socio-economic and political tensions generated by the Black ...

in 1381.

Content

The statute set a maximum wage for labourers that was commensurate with wages paid before the Black Death, specifically, in the year 1346. It also mandated that able-bodied men and women should work and imposed harsh penalties for those who remained idle. It required:

Consequences

The statute's changes failed to take into account the changing economic conditions during the Black Death, and furthermore the period from which wage levels were taken was one of economic depression in England as a result of the

Hundred Years' War The Hundred Years' War (; 1337–1453) was a conflict between the kingdoms of Kingdom of England, England and Kingdom of France, France and a civil war in France during the Late Middle Ages. It emerged from feudal disputes over the Duchy ...

. Therefore, wages during the Black Death were set even lower to match those during this depression. In practice, the statute was poorly enforced and unsuccessful, but it set a precedent that distinguished between labourers who were "able in body" to work and those who could not work for whatever reasons. This distinction resurfaced in later laws regarding

poverty Poverty is a state or condition in which an individual lacks the financial resources and essentials for a basic standard of living. Poverty can have diverse Biophysical environmen ...

. The Statute of Labourers (and its counterpart, the Ordinance of Labourers) was, of course, very unpopular with the peasants, who wanted higher wages and better living standards, and was a contributing factor to subsequent peasant revolts, most notably the English peasants' revolt of 1381. Similar processes happened throughout Europe – wage caps following a labour shortage after the Black Death resulting in popular revolts. The statute was poorly enforced in most areas (and even then, typically only against laborers and not employers), and farm wages in England on average doubled between 1350 and 1450.

Legacy

The act was extended to

Ireland Ireland (, ; ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe. Geopolitically, the island is divided between the Republic of Ireland (officially Names of the Irish state, named Irelan ...

Poynings' Law 1495 An Act confirming all the Statutes made in England ( 10 Hen. 7. c. 22 (I); short title Poynings' Law in Northern Ireland and Poynings' Act 1495 in the Republic of Ireland) is an act of the Parliament of Ireland which gave all statutes "late ...

( 10 Hen. 7. c. 22 (I)). The whole act was repealed for

England and Wales England and Wales () is one of the Law of the United Kingdom#Legal jurisdictions, three legal jurisdictions of the United Kingdom. It covers the constituent countries England and Wales and was formed by the Laws in Wales Acts 1535 and 1542. Th ...

by the Statute Law Revision Act 1863 ( 26 & 27 Vict. c. 125) and for

by the Statute Law (Ireland) Revision Act 1872 ( 35 & 36 Vict. c. 98).

Notes

References

Bibliography

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External links

Full text of the statute from Fordham University
{{Authority control Acts of the Parliament of England 1351 Repealed English legislation History of labour law Economy of medieval England Pricing United Kingdom labour law Medieval English law Edward III of England Regulation in the United Kingdom