The English Poor Laws Winter 2021
Discovering the Roots of Our Welfare System
Introduction to Welfare System
Examination of the historical context leading to the development of welfare in England.
Historical Developments Leading to the 1601 Poor Laws
Movement from Feudal System to Cottage Industry (End of 15th Century).
Development of Capitalism (End of 16th Century).
Rise of Protestantism.
End of Feudalism
Transition from land-based economy to market-based economy.
Under Feudalism, the lord of the manor was responsible for the care of serfs.
Work and production become commodified.
Capitalism
Profit-driven system: sell commodities for greater than production cost.
Increased profits by maintaining low labor costs.
The poor become the primary source of labor, making them dependent on capitalism for survival.
Traditional assistance methods fade away.
Protestantism and Work Ethic
Protestant values shaped the work ethic and influenced the growth of the middle class.
Protestant Work and Religiosity
Work becomes intertwined with religious beliefs under Luther and Calvin's teachings:
Luther: Right living as a pathway to salvation.
Calvin: Preordained salvation; wealth signifies divine blessing; emphasized work and thriftiness.
Wealth generated by any means justified as per beliefs.
Protestant Work Ethic
Hard work viewed as God's command;
Idleness deemed a sin, especially for able individuals.
Growth of the Middle Class
Emergence supported by capitalism and decline of feudalism.
Prosperity linked to religious ideology, signifying divine blessings.
Concept of Poverty
Being poor or unemployed seen as deviant and immoral.
Ultimately viewed as an illegal status subject to control.
Pre-1601 Poor Laws
A progression of laws aimed at controlling poor populations in England, mitigating riots, and ensuring a steady supply of cheap labor for capitalists.
Statute of Laborers: Controlled movement of the poor to retain labor where needed.
The Elizabethan Poor Laws (1601)
Family Responsibility: Families mandated to care for dependents.
Encouragement for the poor to work with penalties for non-compliance.
Workhouses: Used as a means of imprisonment for the poor.
Removal of Dependent Children: Children taken from parents unable to care for them, placed with families or in workhouses.
Institutionalization and Classification of the Poor
Preferred methods of care: workhouses and almshouses.
Categories of the poor:
Able Bodied: Adults without disabilities.
Impotent Poor: Aged, ill, disabled, and pregnant women considered deserving.
Dependent Children: Ambiguous status treated variably.
Treatment of Different Poor Categories
Impotent Poor: Given charity, housed in almshouses.
Able Bodied Poor: Mostly imprisoned or in workhouses; deemed undeserving.
Dependent Children: Varied treatment, some contracted to work or placed in orphanages, others sold to families.
Acts Following the 1601 Poor Laws
1662 Settlement Act: Allowed authorities to set wages and punish workers seeking better pay.
1675 Wage Subsidy Act: Workers could apply for outdoor relief to supplement low wages.
Regulations affecting poor women and children.
Industrial Era in England
Increasing demand for labor, necessitating low wages.
Poverty becomes integral for the growth of industries and the middle class.
The state adopts laissez-faire policies, separating work from home life.
Policies and Laws During the Industrial Era
Royal Commission Study (1832-34): Poor relief identified as a cause of permanent poverty.
1834 Reforms: Able-bodied women added to the unworthy poor; individuals blamed for their poverty.
Outdoor relief diminished, maintaining it solely for the impotent poor.
The Concept of Less Eligibility
Introduction of this principle: work at any wage should be considered preferable to welfare relief, with assistance never exceeding the lowest wage.