WHAT IF...

NEVER HAPPENED?

Professor Mark Bailey tells Nige Tassell why the world would have become a very different place had the plague outbreaks of the 14th century not triggered fundamental changes in society

Although the Black Death first struck during the seven years between 1346 and 1353, its effects would be felt for centuries after, particularly as outbreaks continued right up until the 18th century. The catastrophic loss of life – with as much as 50 per cent of the population being wiped out in certain regions – had a seismic effect across the globe, whether economically, socially