Enclosure Acts
Definition
The Enclosure Acts were a series of laws passed by the British government during the Industrial Revolution that allowed wealthy landowners to enclose and consolidate common lands, leading to the privatization of agricultural land.
Analogy
Imagine a community garden where everyone has access to grow their own vegetables. However, if someone passed a law stating that only certain people could use specific plots, and those who couldn't afford it were left without any space to plant their crops, that's similar to what happened with the Enclosure Acts.
Related terms
Agricultural Revolution: A period of technological advancements and changes in farming practices that led to increased productivity and efficiency in agriculture.
Capitalism: An economic system characterized by private ownership of resources and means of production, driven by profit-making and competition.
Urbanization: The process of population shifting from rural areas to urban areas due to industrialization and job opportunities in cities.
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