Poor relief
Encyclopedia
Poor Relief refers to any actions taken by either governmental or ecclesiastical bodies to relieve poverty
experienced by a population. More specifically, the term poor relief is often used to discuss how European countries dealt with poverty from the time just around the end of the medieval era to modernity
when systems changed from barter
style economy
to the early days of capitalism
. Throughout this time frame, authorities have been confronted with such questions as, "Who exactly should benefit from legislation that is passed?" and "Who is ultimately responsible for the care of these individuals?". As a result of trying to answer these difficult questions, in addition to ever changing attitudes towards poverty, many methods have been instituted to remedy this social crisis. From the early part of the 16th century to the modern day, poverty legislation passed by the English Parliament has transformed from a systematic means of punishment to a system of governmental support and protection as a result of the creation of the Welfare State
.
In the later period of the 15th century, legal measures were put in place for poverty which focused on the punishing the individual for such acts such as vagabonding and begging
. In 1495 during the reign of Henry VII of England
, Parliament
passed the Vagabond Act. This act stated that officials arrest and hold ‘all such vagabonds (Vagabond (person)
), idle
and suspect persons living suspiciously and then so taken to set in stocks
, there to remain three nights and to have none other sustenance but bread and water; and after the said three days and three nights, to be had out and set at large and to be commanded to avoid the town.' Unfortunately, as historian Mark Rathbone discussed in his article "Vagabond!", this act had a very loose definition of vagabonds and did not make any distinctions between individuals that were unemployed and were in search of employment or the individual who freely chose to live the life of a vagabond. In addition, the act failed to recognize the impotent poor, those individuals who could not provide for themselves. These individuals included the sick, the elderly and the disabled. This neglect to define the act of vagabonding precisely would continue to hinder the effectiveness of legislative acts for years to come.
issues were only exacerbated during the early part of the 16th century by a dramatic increase in population. The population rose “…from little more than 2 million in 1485,…(to) about 2.8 million by the end of Henry VII
’s reign (1509)…. The population was growing faster than the economy’s ability to provide employment opportunities. Amplifying the problem was the fact that during the period of the Protestant Reformation
, Henry VIII separated from the Catholic Church and formed the Church of England
. One consequence of this departure was the Dissolution of the Monasteries
in England
in which monastery
assets including lands were seized by the crown. These acts had a devastating impact on poor relief. According to British historian Paul Slack
, prior to the dissolution, "(i)t has been estimated that monasteries alone provided 6,500 pounds
(Conversion) a year in alms
before 1537; and that sum was not made good by private benefactions until after 1850." In addition to the closing of monasteries, the majority of hospitals were also closed "which had come to be seen as special types of religious houses" which left many of the sick without proper health care
. In 1531 the Vagabonds and Beggars act was revised and a new act was passed by parliament
. This act did make some provisions for the different classes of the poor. The sick, the elderly and the disabled were issued licenses to beg. Unfortunately, those individuals who were out of work and in search of employment were still not spared punishment. Throughout the 16th century, a fear of social unrest was the primary motive for the majority of legislation that was passed by parliament
.
This fear of social unrest carried into the reign of Edward VI of England
. A new level of extreme punishment was introduced in the Duke of Somerset’s Act of 1547. “Two year’s servitude and branding (human branding
) with a ‘V’ was the penalty for the first offense, and attempts to run away were to be punished by lifelong slavery and, there for a second time, execution.”. Fortunately for vagabonds during this era, "there is no evidence that the Act was enforced." In 1550 these excessive punishments were revised in a new act that was passed. The act of 1550 makes a reference to the limited enforcement of the punishments established by the Act of 1547 by stating "the extremity of some [of the laws] have been occasion that they have not been put into use."
epidemic. This statute appointed two individuals from each parish
to collect alms to distribute to the poor individuals inhabiting the town. These individuals were to ‘gently ask’ for donations for the cause. Refusal to donate to the cause would ultimately result in a meeting with the bishop
who would ‘induce and persuade’ them. However, at times even these intimidating meetings by the bishop would often fail to complete their objective.
Sensing that these voluntary methods of donation were ineffective, parliament
passed new legislation in 1563. Once this act took effect “parishioners could be brought by the bishop before the Justices, and continued refusal could lead to imprisonment until contribution was made.”. However, this act did have its shortcomings, because individuals could donate however much they desired in order to gain their freedom.
A more structured system of these donations was established by the act of 1572. After determining the amount of funds that was needed to provide for the poor, Justices of the Peace were granted authority to determine the amount of the donation from each of the more wealthy parishioners. The act turned these donations “into an imposed tax
”.
In addition to creating these new imposed tax
, the act of 1572 created a new set of punishments to inflict upon its population of vagabonds. These “(p)unishments included being bored through the ear for a first offense and hanging for persistent beggars.” Unlike the previous brutal punishments established during the Act of 1547, these extreme measures were enforced with great frequency.
However, despite its introduction of such violent actions to deter vagabonding, the Act of 1572 was the first time in history that the parliament
passed legislation that began to address the different categories of vagabonds (Vagabond (person)
). “Peddlers, tinkers, workmen on strike
, fortune tellers and minstrels” were not spared these gruesome acts of deterrence. This act punished “all able bodied men without land or master who would neither accept employment, nor explain the source of their livelihood”. In this newly established definition of what constituted a vagabond, members who had served in the military and released servants or servants whose masters had deceased were exempt from these gruesome punishments. Unfortunately, this legislation did not establish any means to support these individuals.
, hemp
or other materials on which paupers could be employed and to erect a house of correction in every county for the punishment of those who refused work." This was the first time Parliament
had attempted to provide labor to individuals as a means combat the increasing vagabond (Vagabond (person)
) epidemic.
Two years after the act of 1576 was passed, more dramatic changes were made to the methods to fight vagabonding and provide relief to the poor. The Act of 1578, transferred power from the Justices of the Peace to church officials in the areas of collecting these new “imposed taxes” that were established in the Act of 1572. In addition, this Act of 1578 also extended the power of the church by stating that “…vagrants were to be summarily whipped and returned to their place of settlement by parish constables.” By eliminating the need for the involvement of the justices, law enforcement was streamlined.
Starting as early as 1590, authorities began to take a more selective approach in supporting the poor. Those who were labeled legitimately needy were allowed assistance and those who were idle
were not. People incapable of providing for themselves such as young orphans, the elderly, and mentally and physically handicapped
were seen to be legitimately needy. Those who were physically able, but were too lazy to work were labeled as “idle
” and were seen by the public to be of bad moral character, therefore becoming people who were undesirable to help.
Most poor relief in the 17th century came from voluntary charity which mostly was in the form of food and clothing. Parishes distributed land and animals. Institutionalized charities offered loans to help craftsmen to Alms houses and hospitals.
The Elizabethan Poor Law (1601)
were one of the longest-lasting achievements of her reign, left unaltered until 1834. This law made each parish responsible for supporting the legitimately needy in their community. It taxed wealthier citizens of the country to provided basic shelter, food and clothing, though they were not obligated to provide for those outside of their community.
Parishes responsible for their own community caused problems because some were more generous than others. This caused the poor to migrate to other parishes that were not their own. In order to counteract this problem, the Poor Relief Act 1662
was implemented. This created many sojourners, people who resided in different settlements that were not their legal one. The settlement act allowed such people to be forcefully removed, and garnered a negative reaction from the population. Laissez-faire
economist said it was “barrier to labour mobility” and “a barrier to migration decisions”. In order to fix the flaws of the 1662 act, the act of 1691 came into effect which gave ways that people could gain settlement in new locations. Such methods included “owning or renting property above a certain value or paying parish rates, but also by completing a legal apprenticeship or a one-year service while unmarried, or by serving a public office for a year”.
From around 1500 to 1700, the population of England nearly doubled. Capitalism
in agriculture and manufacture started to emerge as well as the increase in overseas trade. Even though expansion was flourishing, it was not enough to provide employment in the late 1600. The population increased at alarming rates than the productivity and Inflation of goods whereas wages declined. Wages were nearly half of what they were a decade previously.
“The boom-and-bust nature of European trade in woolen cloth, England’s major manufacture and export” caused a larger fraction of the population of England to fall under poverty. With this increase in poverty, all charities operated by the Catholic Church were abolished due to the impact of protestant reformation
By the mid to late 18th century most of the British Isles
region was caught up in the process of industrialization that would carry it from then until now and beyond in terms of production of goods, manner of markets and concepts of economic class. In many cases, factory owners engaged to some extent in “employing” children without paying them, thus exacerbating poverty
levels. Furthemore, the poor laws of this era encouraged children to work through an apprenticeship
, but by the end of the 18th century the situation changed as masters became less willing to employ children in apprenticeships and factory owners had to step in and
make use of this surplus
of laborers. Because of this employment in factories of children, there were not many jobs for adult laborers. Forthose who could not find work there was the workhouse
as a means of sustenance.
, in 1834 the English Parliament
revised the Elizabethan Poor Law (1601)
after studying the conditions found in 1832. Over the next decade they began phasing out outdoor relief
and pushing the paupers towards indoor relief. The differences between the two was that outdoor relief was a monetary contribution to the needy, whereas indoor relief meant the individual was sent to one of the workhouses.
experienced a severe potato blight that lasted from 1845–1849 and killed an estimated 1.5 million people with effects lasting until 1851. During this period the people of Ireland lost much land, many jobs and appealed to the Westminster Parliament
for aid. This aid generally came in the form of establishing more workhouses as indoor relief. Some argue that as the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
was in its prime as an empire
, it could have given more aid in the form of money, food or rent subsidies; although the counter-argument is that Britain was also affected by the same blight (as was the whole of Europe) and acted as quickly as she could.
In other regions of the United Kingdom, amendments to and adoptions of poor laws came in and around the same time. In Scotland, for example, the 1845 Scottish Poor Law Act
revised the Poor Laws that were implemented under the 1601 acts.
Poverty
Poverty is the lack of a certain amount of material possessions or money. Absolute poverty or destitution is inability to afford basic human needs, which commonly includes clean and fresh water, nutrition, health care, education, clothing and shelter. About 1.7 billion people are estimated to live...
experienced by a population. More specifically, the term poor relief is often used to discuss how European countries dealt with poverty from the time just around the end of the medieval era to modernity
Modernity
Modernity typically refers to a post-traditional, post-medieval historical period, one marked by the move from feudalism toward capitalism, industrialization, secularization, rationalization, the nation-state and its constituent institutions and forms of surveillance...
when systems changed from barter
Barter
Barter is a method of exchange by which goods or services are directly exchanged for other goods or services without using a medium of exchange, such as money. It is usually bilateral, but may be multilateral, and usually exists parallel to monetary systems in most developed countries, though to a...
style economy
Economy
An economy consists of the economic system of a country or other area; the labor, capital and land resources; and the manufacturing, trade, distribution, and consumption of goods and services of that area...
to the early days of capitalism
Capitalism
Capitalism is an economic system that became dominant in the Western world following the demise of feudalism. There is no consensus on the precise definition nor on how the term should be used as a historical category...
. Throughout this time frame, authorities have been confronted with such questions as, "Who exactly should benefit from legislation that is passed?" and "Who is ultimately responsible for the care of these individuals?". As a result of trying to answer these difficult questions, in addition to ever changing attitudes towards poverty, many methods have been instituted to remedy this social crisis. From the early part of the 16th century to the modern day, poverty legislation passed by the English Parliament has transformed from a systematic means of punishment to a system of governmental support and protection as a result of the creation of the Welfare State
Welfare State
The Welfare State is a commitment to health, education, employment and social security in the United Kingdom.-Background:The United Kingdom, as a welfare state, was prefigured in the William Beveridge Report in 1942, which identified five "Giant Evils" in society: squalor, ignorance, want, idleness...
.
Tudor era
Begging
Begging is to entreat earnestly, implore, or supplicate. It often occurs for the purpose of securing a material benefit, generally for a gift, donation or charitable donation...
. In 1495 during the reign of Henry VII of England
Henry VII of England
Henry VII was King of England and Lord of Ireland from his seizing the crown on 22 August 1485 until his death on 21 April 1509, as the first monarch of the House of Tudor....
, Parliament
Parliament
A parliament is a legislature, especially in those countries whose system of government is based on the Westminster system modeled after that of the United Kingdom. The name is derived from the French , the action of parler : a parlement is a discussion. The term came to mean a meeting at which...
passed the Vagabond Act. This act stated that officials arrest and hold ‘all such vagabonds (Vagabond (person)
Vagabond (person)
A vagabond is a drifter and an itinerant wanderer who roams wherever they please, following the whim of the moment. Vagabonds may lack residence, a job, and even citizenship....
), idle
Idle
Idle is a term which generally refers to a lack of motion and/or energy.- Uses :In describing a person or machine, idle means the act of nothing or no work...
and suspect persons living suspiciously and then so taken to set in stocks
Stocks
Stocks are devices used in the medieval and colonial American times as a form of physical punishment involving public humiliation. The stocks partially immobilized its victims and they were often exposed in a public place such as the site of a market to the scorn of those who passed by...
, there to remain three nights and to have none other sustenance but bread and water; and after the said three days and three nights, to be had out and set at large and to be commanded to avoid the town.' Unfortunately, as historian Mark Rathbone discussed in his article "Vagabond!", this act had a very loose definition of vagabonds and did not make any distinctions between individuals that were unemployed and were in search of employment or the individual who freely chose to live the life of a vagabond. In addition, the act failed to recognize the impotent poor, those individuals who could not provide for themselves. These individuals included the sick, the elderly and the disabled. This neglect to define the act of vagabonding precisely would continue to hinder the effectiveness of legislative acts for years to come.
Dissolution of the Monasteries
England’s povertyPoverty
Poverty is the lack of a certain amount of material possessions or money. Absolute poverty or destitution is inability to afford basic human needs, which commonly includes clean and fresh water, nutrition, health care, education, clothing and shelter. About 1.7 billion people are estimated to live...
issues were only exacerbated during the early part of the 16th century by a dramatic increase in population. The population rose “…from little more than 2 million in 1485,…(to) about 2.8 million by the end of Henry VII
Henry VII of England
Henry VII was King of England and Lord of Ireland from his seizing the crown on 22 August 1485 until his death on 21 April 1509, as the first monarch of the House of Tudor....
’s reign (1509)…. The population was growing faster than the economy’s ability to provide employment opportunities. Amplifying the problem was the fact that during the period of the Protestant Reformation
Protestant Reformation
The Protestant Reformation was a 16th-century split within Western Christianity initiated by Martin Luther, John Calvin and other early Protestants. The efforts of the self-described "reformers", who objected to the doctrines, rituals and ecclesiastical structure of the Roman Catholic Church, led...
, Henry VIII separated from the Catholic Church and formed the Church of England
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
. One consequence of this departure was the Dissolution of the Monasteries
Dissolution of the Monasteries
The Dissolution of the Monasteries, sometimes referred to as the Suppression of the Monasteries, was the set of administrative and legal processes between 1536 and 1541 by which Henry VIII disbanded monasteries, priories, convents and friaries in England, Wales and Ireland; appropriated their...
in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
in which monastery
Monastery
Monastery denotes the building, or complex of buildings, that houses a room reserved for prayer as well as the domestic quarters and workplace of monastics, whether monks or nuns, and whether living in community or alone .Monasteries may vary greatly in size – a small dwelling accommodating only...
assets including lands were seized by the crown. These acts had a devastating impact on poor relief. According to British historian Paul Slack
Paul Slack
Paul Alexander Slack FBA is a British historian. He is a former Principal of Linacre College, Oxford, Pro-Vice-Chancellor of the University of Oxford, and Professor of Early Modern Social History in the University of Oxford.-Life:...
, prior to the dissolution, "(i)t has been estimated that monasteries alone provided 6,500 pounds
Pound (currency)
The pound is a unit of currency in some nations. The term originated in England as the value of a pound of silver.The word pound is the English translation of the Latin word libra, which was the unit of account of the Roman Empire...
(Conversion) a year in alms
Alms
Alms or almsgiving is a religious rite which, in general, involves giving materially to another as an act of religious virtue.It exists in a number of religions. In Philippine Regions, alms are given as charity to benefit the poor. In Buddhism, alms are given by lay people to monks and nuns to...
before 1537; and that sum was not made good by private benefactions until after 1850." In addition to the closing of monasteries, the majority of hospitals were also closed "which had come to be seen as special types of religious houses" which left many of the sick without proper health care
Health care
Health care is the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disease, illness, injury, and other physical and mental impairments in humans. Health care is delivered by practitioners in medicine, chiropractic, dentistry, nursing, pharmacy, allied health, and other care providers...
. In 1531 the Vagabonds and Beggars act was revised and a new act was passed by parliament
Parliament
A parliament is a legislature, especially in those countries whose system of government is based on the Westminster system modeled after that of the United Kingdom. The name is derived from the French , the action of parler : a parlement is a discussion. The term came to mean a meeting at which...
. This act did make some provisions for the different classes of the poor. The sick, the elderly and the disabled were issued licenses to beg. Unfortunately, those individuals who were out of work and in search of employment were still not spared punishment. Throughout the 16th century, a fear of social unrest was the primary motive for the majority of legislation that was passed by parliament
Parliament
A parliament is a legislature, especially in those countries whose system of government is based on the Westminster system modeled after that of the United Kingdom. The name is derived from the French , the action of parler : a parlement is a discussion. The term came to mean a meeting at which...
.
Slavery law 1547
Edward VI of England
Edward VI was the King of England and Ireland from 28 January 1547 until his death. He was crowned on 20 February at the age of nine. The son of Henry VIII and Jane Seymour, Edward was the third monarch of the Tudor dynasty and England's first monarch who was raised as a Protestant...
. A new level of extreme punishment was introduced in the Duke of Somerset’s Act of 1547. “Two year’s servitude and branding (human branding
Human branding
Human branding or stigmatizing is the process in which a mark, usually a symbol or ornamental pattern, is burned into the skin of a living person, with the intention that the resulting scar makes it permanent. This is performed using a hot or very cold branding iron...
) with a ‘V’ was the penalty for the first offense, and attempts to run away were to be punished by lifelong slavery and, there for a second time, execution.”. Fortunately for vagabonds during this era, "there is no evidence that the Act was enforced." In 1550 these excessive punishments were revised in a new act that was passed. The act of 1550 makes a reference to the limited enforcement of the punishments established by the Act of 1547 by stating "the extremity of some [of the laws] have been occasion that they have not been put into use."
Parliament and the parish
Following the revision of the Duke of Somerset’s Act of 1547, parliament passed a new act in 1552. This act focused on using parishioners as a source of funds to combat the increasing povertyPoverty
Poverty is the lack of a certain amount of material possessions or money. Absolute poverty or destitution is inability to afford basic human needs, which commonly includes clean and fresh water, nutrition, health care, education, clothing and shelter. About 1.7 billion people are estimated to live...
epidemic. This statute appointed two individuals from each parish
Parish
A parish is a territorial unit historically under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of one parish priest, who might be assisted in his pastoral duties by a curate or curates - also priests but not the parish priest - from a more or less central parish church with its associated organization...
to collect alms to distribute to the poor individuals inhabiting the town. These individuals were to ‘gently ask’ for donations for the cause. Refusal to donate to the cause would ultimately result in a meeting with the bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
who would ‘induce and persuade’ them. However, at times even these intimidating meetings by the bishop would often fail to complete their objective.
Sensing that these voluntary methods of donation were ineffective, parliament
Parliament
A parliament is a legislature, especially in those countries whose system of government is based on the Westminster system modeled after that of the United Kingdom. The name is derived from the French , the action of parler : a parlement is a discussion. The term came to mean a meeting at which...
passed new legislation in 1563. Once this act took effect “parishioners could be brought by the bishop before the Justices, and continued refusal could lead to imprisonment until contribution was made.”. However, this act did have its shortcomings, because individuals could donate however much they desired in order to gain their freedom.
A more structured system of these donations was established by the act of 1572. After determining the amount of funds that was needed to provide for the poor, Justices of the Peace were granted authority to determine the amount of the donation from each of the more wealthy parishioners. The act turned these donations “into an imposed tax
Tax
To tax is to impose a financial charge or other levy upon a taxpayer by a state or the functional equivalent of a state such that failure to pay is punishable by law. Taxes are also imposed by many subnational entities...
”.
In addition to creating these new imposed tax
Tax
To tax is to impose a financial charge or other levy upon a taxpayer by a state or the functional equivalent of a state such that failure to pay is punishable by law. Taxes are also imposed by many subnational entities...
, the act of 1572 created a new set of punishments to inflict upon its population of vagabonds. These “(p)unishments included being bored through the ear for a first offense and hanging for persistent beggars.” Unlike the previous brutal punishments established during the Act of 1547, these extreme measures were enforced with great frequency.
However, despite its introduction of such violent actions to deter vagabonding, the Act of 1572 was the first time in history that the parliament
Parliament
A parliament is a legislature, especially in those countries whose system of government is based on the Westminster system modeled after that of the United Kingdom. The name is derived from the French , the action of parler : a parlement is a discussion. The term came to mean a meeting at which...
passed legislation that began to address the different categories of vagabonds (Vagabond (person)
Vagabond (person)
A vagabond is a drifter and an itinerant wanderer who roams wherever they please, following the whim of the moment. Vagabonds may lack residence, a job, and even citizenship....
). “Peddlers, tinkers, workmen on strike
Strike action
Strike action, also called labour strike, on strike, greve , or simply strike, is a work stoppage caused by the mass refusal of employees to work. A strike usually takes place in response to employee grievances. Strikes became important during the industrial revolution, when mass labour became...
, fortune tellers and minstrels” were not spared these gruesome acts of deterrence. This act punished “all able bodied men without land or master who would neither accept employment, nor explain the source of their livelihood”. In this newly established definition of what constituted a vagabond, members who had served in the military and released servants or servants whose masters had deceased were exempt from these gruesome punishments. Unfortunately, this legislation did not establish any means to support these individuals.
A new approach
A system to support individuals who were willing to work, but were having difficulty finding employment was established by the Act of 1576. According to this act “...Justices of the Peace were authorized to provide any town which needed it with a stock of flaxFlax
Flax is a member of the genus Linum in the family Linaceae. It is native to the region extending from the eastern Mediterranean to India and was probably first domesticated in the Fertile Crescent...
, hemp
Hemp
Hemp is mostly used as a name for low tetrahydrocannabinol strains of the plant Cannabis sativa, of fiber and/or oilseed varieties. In modern times, hemp has been used for industrial purposes including paper, textiles, biodegradable plastics, construction, health food and fuel with modest...
or other materials on which paupers could be employed and to erect a house of correction in every county for the punishment of those who refused work." This was the first time Parliament
Parliament
A parliament is a legislature, especially in those countries whose system of government is based on the Westminster system modeled after that of the United Kingdom. The name is derived from the French , the action of parler : a parlement is a discussion. The term came to mean a meeting at which...
had attempted to provide labor to individuals as a means combat the increasing vagabond (Vagabond (person)
Vagabond (person)
A vagabond is a drifter and an itinerant wanderer who roams wherever they please, following the whim of the moment. Vagabonds may lack residence, a job, and even citizenship....
) epidemic.
Two years after the act of 1576 was passed, more dramatic changes were made to the methods to fight vagabonding and provide relief to the poor. The Act of 1578, transferred power from the Justices of the Peace to church officials in the areas of collecting these new “imposed taxes” that were established in the Act of 1572. In addition, this Act of 1578 also extended the power of the church by stating that “…vagrants were to be summarily whipped and returned to their place of settlement by parish constables.” By eliminating the need for the involvement of the justices, law enforcement was streamlined.
End of the Elizabethan Era to 1750
Idle
Idle is a term which generally refers to a lack of motion and/or energy.- Uses :In describing a person or machine, idle means the act of nothing or no work...
were not. People incapable of providing for themselves such as young orphans, the elderly, and mentally and physically handicapped
Handicapped
Handicapped or handicap may refer to:*Handicapping, various methods of leveling a sport or game**Golf handicap, a sport-specific handicapping method**Go handicaps**Handicaps in shogi**Asian handicap, bookmakers technique to level odds...
were seen to be legitimately needy. Those who were physically able, but were too lazy to work were labeled as “idle
Idle
Idle is a term which generally refers to a lack of motion and/or energy.- Uses :In describing a person or machine, idle means the act of nothing or no work...
” and were seen by the public to be of bad moral character, therefore becoming people who were undesirable to help.
Most poor relief in the 17th century came from voluntary charity which mostly was in the form of food and clothing. Parishes distributed land and animals. Institutionalized charities offered loans to help craftsmen to Alms houses and hospitals.
The Elizabethan Poor Law (1601)
Elizabethan Poor Law (1601)
The Act for the Relief of the Poor 1601, popularly known as the "Elizabethan Poor Law", "43rd Elizabeth" or the "Old Poor Law" was an Act of Parliament passed in 1601 which created a national poor law system for England and Wales....
were one of the longest-lasting achievements of her reign, left unaltered until 1834. This law made each parish responsible for supporting the legitimately needy in their community. It taxed wealthier citizens of the country to provided basic shelter, food and clothing, though they were not obligated to provide for those outside of their community.
Parishes responsible for their own community caused problems because some were more generous than others. This caused the poor to migrate to other parishes that were not their own. In order to counteract this problem, the Poor Relief Act 1662
Poor Relief Act 1662
The Poor Relief Act 1662 was an Act of the Cavalier Parliament of England. It was an Act for the Better Relief of the Poor of this Kingdom and is also known as the Settlement Act or, more honestly, the Settlement and Removal Act. The purpose of the Act was to establish the parish to which a person...
was implemented. This created many sojourners, people who resided in different settlements that were not their legal one. The settlement act allowed such people to be forcefully removed, and garnered a negative reaction from the population. Laissez-faire
Laissez-faire
In economics, laissez-faire describes an environment in which transactions between private parties are free from state intervention, including restrictive regulations, taxes, tariffs and enforced monopolies....
economist said it was “barrier to labour mobility” and “a barrier to migration decisions”. In order to fix the flaws of the 1662 act, the act of 1691 came into effect which gave ways that people could gain settlement in new locations. Such methods included “owning or renting property above a certain value or paying parish rates, but also by completing a legal apprenticeship or a one-year service while unmarried, or by serving a public office for a year”.
From around 1500 to 1700, the population of England nearly doubled. Capitalism
Capitalism
Capitalism is an economic system that became dominant in the Western world following the demise of feudalism. There is no consensus on the precise definition nor on how the term should be used as a historical category...
in agriculture and manufacture started to emerge as well as the increase in overseas trade. Even though expansion was flourishing, it was not enough to provide employment in the late 1600. The population increased at alarming rates than the productivity and Inflation of goods whereas wages declined. Wages were nearly half of what they were a decade previously.
“The boom-and-bust nature of European trade in woolen cloth, England’s major manufacture and export” caused a larger fraction of the population of England to fall under poverty. With this increase in poverty, all charities operated by the Catholic Church were abolished due to the impact of protestant reformation
Protestant Reformation
The Protestant Reformation was a 16th-century split within Western Christianity initiated by Martin Luther, John Calvin and other early Protestants. The efforts of the self-described "reformers", who objected to the doctrines, rituals and ecclesiastical structure of the Roman Catholic Church, led...
Child Labor
By the mid to late 18th century most of the British Isles
British Isles
The British Isles are a group of islands off the northwest coast of continental Europe that include the islands of Great Britain and Ireland and over six thousand smaller isles. There are two sovereign states located on the islands: the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and...
region was caught up in the process of industrialization that would carry it from then until now and beyond in terms of production of goods, manner of markets and concepts of economic class. In many cases, factory owners engaged to some extent in “employing” children without paying them, thus exacerbating poverty
Poverty
Poverty is the lack of a certain amount of material possessions or money. Absolute poverty or destitution is inability to afford basic human needs, which commonly includes clean and fresh water, nutrition, health care, education, clothing and shelter. About 1.7 billion people are estimated to live...
levels. Furthemore, the poor laws of this era encouraged children to work through an apprenticeship
Apprenticeship
Apprenticeship is a system of training a new generation of practitioners of a skill. Apprentices or protégés build their careers from apprenticeships...
, but by the end of the 18th century the situation changed as masters became less willing to employ children in apprenticeships and factory owners had to step in and
make use of this surplus
Surplus
Surplus means when there is more supply than demand, as in extra resources.Surplus may refer to: dumd* "The Surplus", an episode of The Office* Surplus: Terrorized into Being Consumers, a documentary film...
of laborers. Because of this employment in factories of children, there were not many jobs for adult laborers. Forthose who could not find work there was the workhouse
Workhouse
In England and Wales a workhouse, colloquially known as a spike, was a place where those unable to support themselves were offered accommodation and employment...
as a means of sustenance.
Indoor Relief vs. Outdoor Relief
Following the onset of the Industrial RevolutionIndustrial Revolution
The Industrial Revolution was a period from the 18th to the 19th century where major changes in agriculture, manufacturing, mining, transportation, and technology had a profound effect on the social, economic and cultural conditions of the times...
, in 1834 the English Parliament
Parliament
A parliament is a legislature, especially in those countries whose system of government is based on the Westminster system modeled after that of the United Kingdom. The name is derived from the French , the action of parler : a parlement is a discussion. The term came to mean a meeting at which...
revised the Elizabethan Poor Law (1601)
Elizabethan Poor Law (1601)
The Act for the Relief of the Poor 1601, popularly known as the "Elizabethan Poor Law", "43rd Elizabeth" or the "Old Poor Law" was an Act of Parliament passed in 1601 which created a national poor law system for England and Wales....
after studying the conditions found in 1832. Over the next decade they began phasing out outdoor relief
Outdoor relief
This article refers to Britain's welfare provision after the 1601 Poor Law. For welfare programmes see Social securityAfter the passing of the Elizabethan Poor Law , outdoor relief was that kind of poor relief where assistance was in the form of money, food, clothing or goods, given to alleviate...
and pushing the paupers towards indoor relief. The differences between the two was that outdoor relief was a monetary contribution to the needy, whereas indoor relief meant the individual was sent to one of the workhouses.
The Great Famine (Ireland)
Following the reformation of the Poor Laws in 1834, IrelandIreland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
experienced a severe potato blight that lasted from 1845–1849 and killed an estimated 1.5 million people with effects lasting until 1851. During this period the people of Ireland lost much land, many jobs and appealed to the Westminster Parliament
Parliament of the United Kingdom
The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom, British Crown dependencies and British overseas territories, located in London...
for aid. This aid generally came in the form of establishing more workhouses as indoor relief. Some argue that as the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland was the formal name of the United Kingdom during the period when what is now the Republic of Ireland formed a part of it....
was in its prime as an empire
British Empire
The British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom. It originated with the overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. At its height, it was the...
, it could have given more aid in the form of money, food or rent subsidies; although the counter-argument is that Britain was also affected by the same blight (as was the whole of Europe) and acted as quickly as she could.
In other regions of the United Kingdom, amendments to and adoptions of poor laws came in and around the same time. In Scotland, for example, the 1845 Scottish Poor Law Act
1845 Scottish Poor Law Act
The Poor Law Act 1845 was an Act of Parliament which reformed the Poor Law system in Scotland.-Main provisions:* The creation of a Board of Supervision to regulate the Poor Law system....
revised the Poor Laws that were implemented under the 1601 acts.