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Adam Smith:
Looks like you are correct.
The mortality rate from the first outbreak of the Black Death in Europe in the 1340s has been estimated at between 25% and 45% of the population. The problem for historians has been why the population failed to recover from this and gradually begin to grow again. As the population fell in numbers, the demand for food fell and prices were depressed. In contrast, labour costs and wages rose. The population in England and in Europe generally failed to recover and replace itself. According to Malthusian theory it should have done because economic prospects were good. This should have meant earlier marriage and so greater fertility (also because of a better diet), the possibility of having larger numbers of children and more children surviving. Postan's overpopulation theory (as cited in Hatcher 1977) was that the economy benefited in the short-term because of the loss of a large proportion of the population. However, it seems likely that the population in England did begin to recover after 1350, although there was no long-term recovery.
Looks like you are correct.
The mortality rate from the first outbreak of the Black Death in Europe in the 1340s has been estimated at between 25% and 45% of the population. The problem for historians has been why the population failed to recover from this and gradually begin to grow again. As the population fell in numbers, the demand for food fell and prices were depressed. In contrast, labour costs and wages rose. The population in England and in Europe generally failed to recover and replace itself. According to Malthusian theory it should have done because economic prospects were good. This should have meant earlier marriage and so greater fertility (also because of a better diet), the possibility of having larger numbers of children and more children surviving. Postan's overpopulation theory (as cited in Hatcher 1977) was that the economy benefited in the short-term because of the loss of a large proportion of the population. However, it seems likely that the population in England did begin to recover after 1350, although there was no long-term recovery.
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