How did the Black Death help bring about the end of feudalism in western Europe? What were its key negative and positive effects?

It has been argued that the Black Death brought about the end of feudalism. This was the system of service in return for a grant of land, burdening the peasant with many obligations to his lord. For example, payments were due on entering a land holding, upon marriage and death and on many other occasions. When the Black Death swept over Europe and wiped out a third of its population, it also destroyed Feudalism. Peasants were free to leave the lands of the lords to try to find higher wages because of the huge labor shortages. The land that had usually been the primary source of wealth was now worthless. Entire estates, which were deserted as families became the plagues victims and died, or fled in a hopeless attempt to escape its fury, were there to take. As Europe developed away from relying on land as the main source of success, a rising middle-class claimed more and more wealth and respect, as the once-noble people began to quickly lose both.  Because the peasants catered for everyone (they provided for the knights, the knights provided for the Barons and the Barons provided for the King), the Barons were willing to pay higher wages and offer extra benefits to the peasants. All their life they had lived off the peasants’ hard work and were willing to pay them to stay on the manor and continue slaving for them. When the peasants died, the foundation on which feudalism relied upon broke. The pyramid of power broke, and everything was thrown into chaos.   The end of Feudalism had begun and progressed each day as the Black Death claimed more lives.  A large group of people, desperate to accuse someone for this catastrophe, accused many different ‘groups’ which included ‘witches’, lepers and Jews. In central Europe, the flagellants convincingly charged the Jews. On a tragic day in Strasbourg alone, over 8,000 Jews were killed for being the target of vain suspicions.  The effect of the Black Death was immediately catastrophic for everyone, though the peasants who survived it found their lives had improved a lot. Labor became rare and more valuable than abundant land.  Landless people were able to take over abandoned holdings, and those who could handle more land took it.  Wages roughly doubled, while the fall in the population led to halving the price of wheat.

Explanation: hope this helps, sorry if its wrong and have a nice day

the answer is option a.