Decree in England that enclosures made since 1488 are to be destroyed

(73 words)
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Short Note This is a short note

According to a decree issued in England, all enclosures made since 1488 are now to be destroyed. Enclosure was a controversial issue throughout this period, as it acted in effect as an appropriation of public land by private landowners, leaving many more peasants landless. On the other hand, however, it was sometimes the action of better-off peasantry, in an attempt to bring an end to the perpetual poverty of the subsistence method of farming.

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Citation:
Editors. "Decree in England that enclosures made since 1488 are to be destroyed". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 01 November 2010
[http://www.litencyc.com/php/stopics.php?rec=true&UID=14248, accessed 20 June 2013.]