英国庄园制衰落之原因探析

诺曼征服之后,英国庄园制经济得到迅速发展,并于13世纪臻于极盛,但14、15世纪之后便渐趋式微,并在16世纪最终瓦解。究其原因,农奴的锐减造成庄园劳动力资源的匮乏,继而导致庄园经营无以为继;劳役的消失,租佃制的繁盛以及养羊业的发展,引起经营方式的转变;此外随着英王权势日盛和英国普通法的发展,国家法庭管辖范围越来越大,作为领主司法特权的庄园法庭作用愈来愈小,领主司法权利丧失殆尽。种种原因决定了庄园的衰落。

Reasons for the Decline of Manors in England

The manorial economy developed rapidly in England after Norman Conquest,prospered in the 13th century,then declined in the 14th and 15th century and ultimately collapsed in the 16th century.Such developing track can mainly be explained by three reasons: first,manors couldn't be maintained with the rapid decrease in slave labor;secondly,the abolishment of penal servitude,the prosperous tenancy of demesne lands and development of sheep-farming contributed to the change in the management styles;thirdly,the increasing power of the kingship and the development of Common Law narrowed jurisdiction of manorial courts pertaining to the manorial lords.