social reform Flashcards
What did the 1834 poor law consist of?
mothers of illegitimate children get no support from state, any man who entered a workhouse hand to take his entire family with him, relief should be given only in workhouses, kept in confinement and could be disciplined in workhouses
What was the self help ideology?
belief that people in poverty were weak and feckless and society ought to to look down on them, Smiles said ‘when people live in foul dwellings, let them alone’ which means he thinks poor people should be left to fend for themselves and should work harder
Who established the self help idealolgy?
Samuel Smiles in his book that was published in 1869
Who was classed as deserving poor?
disabled, elderly, sick, people who work hard but can’t access a high paid job, solider, widows people with savings, pregnant woman (married)
Who was classed as undeserving poor?
unwed mothers, alcoholics, vagabonds, addicts, prostitutes, criminals, old people that haven’t saved money
What did the artians dwelling act set out to do?
Improve the state of housing in large industrial slums
What did the artisans dwelling act consist of?
Gave local authorities the power to purchase, clear and redevelop slums
When was the artisans dwelling act passed and who passed it?
1875, Disraeli
What were the strengths of the artisans dwelling act?
-step in government becoming less laissez faire
-local authorities controlling this means people in towns are having decisions made for them closer to home by people who favour them, rather than state as a whole
-working class had the chance to get out of poor, overcrowded housing that made them ill
What were the weaknesses of the artisans dwelling act?
-absence of a compulsory purchase order meant many councils chose to ignore it because of their ‘self help’ attitude towards poor
-many slums therefore not probably not actually redeveloped so governs just acting as if they have fixed housing problems
When was the public health act passed and who by?
1875, Disraeli
What did the public health act set out to do?
Pull together all existing sanitary legislation which up until then had fallen short of tackling current health problems
What did the public health act do?
-laid down minus standards of drainage, sewage disposal and refuse
-officer of health in charged of reporting all infectious diseases
-public wells established in most districts to replace private water companies
What were the strengths of the public health act?
-standards around sewage and drainage would decrease spreading and people dying of infectious water born diseases like cholera
-poorer people do not have to worry as much about being laid off from work because they are sick
What were the weaknesses of the public health act?
-heavy on state intervention so oppositions who believe in laissez faire (liberals) would criticise it
