Poverty Glossary Flashcards
Pauperism
Refers to anyone who is in receipt of state provided relief under the poor laws
Indigent
The ‘deserving poor’ who are unable to work due to disability
Parish
Small territorial area divided for the purpose of administration
Poor relief
Assistance given by government or other bodies to alleviate the impact of poverty
Self help
Encourage self improvement, to work hard to avoid becoming impoverished
Poor-house
A government run facility to support and provide housing for the deserving poor
Able-bodied poor
‘Deserving unemployed’ physically fit but unable to work
Indoor relief
People looked after in poor houses
Outdoor relief
Clothes, food or money, jobs to work outside
Labour rate
Paid money into separate fund to be used to pay paupers when they are employed in the parish
Poor rate
Tax from property owners
Population in 1801
9 million
Napoleonic wars
1793-1815 = series of major conflicts between the french empire and its allies against European powers into various coalitions
Act of settlement 1662
Memberships of parishes were formalised by being born there, being a resident for a year and a day, moved there for an apprenticeship
Roundsman system
Sold the labour of paupers to the local farmers or employers at a reduced cost
Speenhamland system
System of wages of a single male applicant being made up to the cost of three loafs of bread
Gilbert’s act 1782
Only orphaned children, those physically unable to work should be admitted
Act for the regulation of parish committees 1818
Allowed the creation of parish committees to scrutinise relief giving, tightened up quality of relief
Indolence
Laziness of general idleness
Panopitican
A model prison by Jeremy Bentham in which a single guard would be able to watch the entire prison without the inmates knowing they were being watched
Less eligibility
The concept of deliberately making poor relief harsh so that the only most destitute and those truly unable to help themselves would apply for it
Poor law commission
Commissioners were in charge of management of the new poor law. Their remit included setting the new parish unions that were established to build new workhouses
