Benefits of Common Land


 
 
Concept Explanation
 

Benefits of Common Land

Common land is land owned collectively by a number of persons, or by one person, but over which other people have certain traditional rights, such as to allow their livestock to graze upon it, to collect wood, or to cut turf for fuel.

Benefits of Common Land: Beyond enclosures lands lay the common land. Due to this, it was ensured that everybody gets a mix of good and bad land.

  • Everybody had access to the common land on this land, villagers grazed their cattle and collected fuelwood for fire.
  • They also gather berries and fruits for food. They fished in the rivers and ponds and hunted rabbits in common forests.
  • For the poor, the common land was essential for survival it helped them to overcome bad times when crops failed.
  • Wool Production and Enclosures: In the 16th century, the price of wool went up in the world market. Rich farmers wanted to expand wool production, thus they began dividing and enclosing common lands to allow improved breeding of sheep. They prevented the poor from entering the enclosed lands. After the mid—18th century, the enclosure movement swept throw the countryside to fulfil the increasing demand for food grains due to the industrialisation. Between 1750 and 1850, 6 million acres of land was enclosed. The British Parliament passed 4000 Acts legalizing these enclosures.

    The factors that led to the enclosure movement in England were the increase in prices of wool in the international market and the increase demand for food grains in England.

  • Increase in prices of wool: In the 16th century, the price of wool in the international market went up so the rich farmers wanted to expand wool production to earn higher profits. they were eager to improve their sheep breeds and keen on controlling large areas of land in compact blocks to allow improved breeding.so, they started building hedges around their holdings to separate their property from that of others.
  • Increased demand for grain: In the 16th century , the population of England expanded rapidly ; more people were living in the cities and working in the factories.As urban population grew demand for food grains increased and foodgrain prices rose.
  • So, because of the war with France , trade was disrupted and import of food grains from Europe declined. Prices of foodgrains increased rapidly in England.This encourages landowners to enclose land and enlarge areas under grain cultivation, leading to the second enclosure movement.
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