Answer to Question #304276 in History for DSM

Question

Why did the Reformation and Counter-Reformation stimulate a drive to regulate public morals, leisure activities, and the distribution of poor relief?

Answer 1

Reformation and counter-reformation were basically the changes that took place in the Roman Catholic Church between 1400 and 1500.Reformation is the work that was put up to kick start reformation(Protestantism) in the middle Ages up to the Renaissance period, whereas Counter-Reformation were the steps taken by the catholic church to fight Protestantism in the 1500s.

           These changes targeted the public morals, leisure activities and the distribution of poor relief simply because these were the major platforms where many people would be reached. Public morals were targeted because in it were families, which were the dominant unit of production as well as marriage being a weapon of social and economic plans for them.

           Leisure activities were mostly done in a communal way rather than individually and consumerist as it is the norm today.

           Public sharing was also a major crowd mobiliser and it provided a platform for enforcing their customs.