1834-70 Flashcards
When was the Charity Organization Society made/What significance did it hold?
1869
- Distinguish between deserving and undeserving poor - help the deserving back on their feet.
- Targeted approach towards poverty, organized and effective relief
When was the Workhouse Visiting Society made and what significance did it hold?
1848
- Following Andover Workhouse Scandal 1847/48, shows middle class concern regarding working conditions for the paupers
- Empathies a more sympathetic approach towards poverty; shift in attitude
When was the Metropolitan Poor Act made/What significance does it hold?
1867
- Led to the Metropolitan Asylum Board to look after sick paupers
- Medical institutions separate from Workhouses
- Modernise general poor relief
When was the economic depression in Britain?
1850s, pressure on the system; arguably less sympathy for the poor
Summarise Anderson Workhouse 1847
-Guardians would abuse the paupers due to the outbreak of Swing Riots/arson
-61 Paupers commit crimes to escape
-Abstained from food
-John Walter exposed the scandal to the times
-Colin Mcdougal - sergeant in Waterloo
-Hugh Mundy - board of guardians; only one who seemed to be concerned
1851-1866 how many workhouses built
100
What was the workhouse visiting society
established 1848, concerned the conditions paupers laboured in
When was the Poor Employment Act established?
1817, public money to hire able-bodied poor to labour on stuff such as road building
When was the Royal Commission established
1832, contained 9 commissions to improve system of poor relief
Jeremy Bentham’s Utilitarianism
Act Utilitarianism; greatest good for the greatest number. Proposed a National Charity 1796 for the poor
Pauper Management improved 1798
Wanted to abolish outdoor relief and focus on industry housing
Robert Malthus’ Principle of Population 1798
Claimed poor laws led to famine
Population increment mean harder to deal with the poor
Abolish Poor laws = more dollar
Thomas Paine’s Right Of Man 1792
Claimed poverty is because of regression
Introduce free commerce /w free rights
Suggest rates replaced with land tax to balance the system
Robert Owen’s Principle of co-operation
1800-1890 built a factory on cooperation
Blamed economy for the increment of poverty
Believe this percentage could be lowered by settling labourers in co-operative workforces - reduce corruption
Edwin Chadwick
Read radical books - inspired by Thomas Paine
Westminister review
1832 Poor Law Amendment
Employed by Jeremy Bentham
Sanitary conditions on labouring poor 1842,
Apart of Royal Commission
David Ricardo
Radical MP 1819
1809 Pamphlet on currency
Opponent on Corn Laws, raising pay of labourers = make them lazy
Trade essential to make Britain competitive - free market
“Iron wages of law” > pay relate to value of goods
Financial Pressures of the Poor Law Act
1815-1833 debt didn’t dip below £5.7 million
Poor Relief expidenture - 2% of the countries cross national product
Bad trade = unemployment, good trade = employment
technology in agriculture led to unemployment
Poor Law Amendment Act 1834
Central authority - Thomas Hunterford and Robert Peel
Formal classification of the poor
£2 million increase for poor relief
Outdoor relief removed
Workhouses following the Poor Law Amendment Act
Designed to segregate male, female, children
Until 1842 all meals taken in silence
1870: education under elementary system (Education Act)
Worse conditions than the worst labouring jobs to act as a deterrence
Children apprenticed approx at 9y/o
Only WOMEN couldn’t be beaten,
reduced rations,
punishment cells
Limit the amount of times paupers could leave
How many copies did 1859 Self-Help by Samuel Smiles produce?
More than/approx. 20,000 within its first year.
How many parishes in 1780
2,000 parishes
1834-1851
402 workhouses built
