The Geographical Distribution of Wealth in England 1334-1649.

The article examines the geographical distribution of wealth in England from 1334-1649. In a paper by author E.J. Buckatzsch, attempt was made to measure statistically changes in the distribution of wealth between the counties over an extended period of eight centuries. By employing two statistical measures, Buckatzsch was able to show that statistically significant redistribution of wealth occurred only in the periods 1086-1150, 1150-1283, 1503-1641, and 1693-1803, while at all other times between 1086 and 1843, the distribution of wealth between the counties remained relatively stable. Buckatzsch argued that the tax assessments of 1453 and 1504 showed that practically no redistribution of wealth had taken place between the counties since 1334, while the tax assessment of 1641 showed that a marked, and statistically significant, redistribution of wealth had occurred after 1504. In practice Buckatzsch used a combination of tax assessments on movable property, and tax assessments on annual incomes derived mainly from real property.