We’re at a point in the year when a number of anniversaries associated with the Peasants’ Revolt are being marked. As a substantial part of the revolt started in our part of Thurrock, it would be rude to not re-blog this piece by Dr. Lisa Mckenzie which links what happened then with the current situation around the impact of the COVID-19 crisis on working class people.

The Peasants Are Revolting. Illustration by Clifford Harper.

The piece below is from the D.i.Y. CULTURE#9 COVID-19(84) – Dystopian Visions edition

PLEASE NOTE – For the best viewing experience, we recommend that you download the PDF of DiY Culture No.9 from DropBox to your PC/laptop/phone.

By Dr Lisa Mckenzie, working class academic

Mishandling of Black Death 640 years ago led to the Peasants’ Revolt. It’s time we modern-day peasants rebelled over Covid-19.

The coronavirus has been killing poor people at twice the rate of better-off people, and exposing the appalling inequalities and injustice of our broken system. We need a new revolt, to bring about real change.

“Things cannot go well in England, nor ever will, until all goods are held in common, and until there will be neither serfs nor gentlemen, and we shall be equal” said the Priest John Ball, during his speech before marching into London with…

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