For example, the Plague was a large contributor to the collapse of feudalism. I won't go as far as to say that it was solely responsible (the Hundred Years' War and the Little Ice Age would be offended), but the massive societal upheaval that was brought about overseas helped restructure the entire socioeconomic hierarchy.
For example, think about WWII. When an entire generation of men (and typical factory laborers) left the country, the working class demographic skewed hard towards women. This is not to say that WWII broke the glass ceiling, but it help to provide women with a much-deserved increase in workforce clout. The same happened in Europe during the Plague, but on a cosmic scale.
During the Middle Ages, the real divide in society wasn't along gender lines, but along class lines. Whereas in modern America we pride ourselves on the ability of "any old Joe to run for president" (in theory), we have yet to have a Jill in the Oval Office. American labor is split along gender lines. When Joan of Arc vaulted herself to a status akin to that of a Major General, her success was not astounding because of her gender, but because of her social class. Joan was an illiterate peasant in a society that rigidly stratified social standing.
Thus, when the Plague ripped through Europe and left 1 in 3 people dead, there was suddenly room for social mobility. An increased demand to replace laborers afforded surviving peasants with (relatively) massive bargaining clout. Slowly, the feudal scale began to tip in favor of the medieval proletariat.
We're already seeing changes between the pre- and post-COVID working world. Zoom meetings have come to dominate all aspects of life and there's buzz that we'll never truly abandon this work-from-home system. How else will COVID shake up our social standings?
It's important to note that there was no access to a "Black Death Vaccine" in Europe. The haves and have-nots were affected relatively equally. In the U.S., however, lower-income individuals have suffered the brunt of COVID-19. It is possible that we will witness the opposite of what we saw in Europe; the "feudal haves" may solidify their stake in resources.
For this reason, the study of history is perennially relevant: By identifying possible social trends, we can seek to establish a more equitable society.
