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SOCIETY AND ECONOMY BIG PICTURE - Coggle Diagram
SOCIETY AND ECONOMY BIG PICTURE
'OVERMIGHTY SUBJECTS'
power decreased during Tudor century - rival power to the Crown in HVII reign, not even matching TNM power by 1601
increase of professionalism = decrease in nobles' power
Elizabeth Privy Council dominated by distant relatives and gentry rather than most powerful nobles
sale of monastic land to lower gentry = rise of them
'TUDOR NEW MEN'
HVII increased their power as he turned to them for support rather than nobles - loyalty guaranteed
sale of monastic land to Tudor New Men increased their power - ensured that Mary didn't remove it from them in 1554 parliament
Extent of TNM social mobility - Northumberland = Lord President of the Privy Council in 1549 even though his dad was executed
Elizabeth Privy Council largely Tudor New Men - WC, FW, Parker, Whitgift etc
EXPLORATION AND COLONISATION
naval exploration was significant for England's reputation but wasn't particularly successful - still very reliant on cloth trade
wool trade = around 90% of exports throughout the reign
exploration and colonisation encouraged (especially by Cecil) due to instability of European politics and decline in Antwerp cloth trade
ECONOMY
HVII was concerned with 'sound money' i.e. no debasements - HVIII debased the coinage 2x (1526 and 1544-51)
M.I. rebased the coinage with Spanish silver, Elizabeth withdrew all the debased coinage in 1560-61 and maintained levels of silver for the rest of her reign
Inflation fundamentally misunderstood - hence debasements
THE POOR
60% of population at or below subsistence level in Tudor period
Poor issue not comprehensively dealt with by government until 1598/1601 - previous laws constantly needing to be reinforced and changes
KEY POOR ACTS
1531 Vagabonds Act - licensed begging
1552 Poor Act - 'collector of alms' for the poor
1576 - 'houses of correction' for those refusing to work
1598/1601 - Poor Law Act that amalgamated all the poor legislation including poor relief tax - lasted until 1834