britain poverty Flashcards
(14 cards)
what was wrong with the old poor laws
they were seen as a threat to the order, there were 2k poorhouses, knatchbulls act withdrew aid from people who didnt go to workhouses
how much did poor relief cost and the impact
5.7 million per year from 1815-33, burden on ratepayers so they wanted lower cost reform
what was the speenhamland system
1775- topped up wages to price of 3 loaves of bread or 4.5 if family, encouraged more poor babies and not higher wages
individualism
idea that there needed to be some lazy poor for there to be rich, no provision recommended, dominant idea from people like malthus and townsend
collectivism
idea that the government arent supporting adequately and the poor want to help themselves, promoted by paine, owen and salt
utilitarianism
pleasure and pain, the idea to find the poors wants and needs for them to motivate themselves, big idea in the middle class with bentham
what did the royal commission do
1832- 9 commissioners including chadwick used bad surveys and found the system inadequate, recommended no outdoor relief, punishing workhouses and a central board
what did the PLAA do
1834- built 402 workhouses immediately, grouped 15k parishes into 500, speenhamland and outdoor relief abolished, principle of less eligibility used
PLAA failures
outdoor relief was still handed out by guardians since 2s 3d rather than 4s 8d for indoor and by 1838 the old methods were reallowed, the system didnt fit cyclical unemployment
who opposed the PLAA
tories and radicals since it seemed too callous, too much government intervention and in the north some middle class were allied with the poor
why and where were there riots after the PLAA
east anglia ‘money or blood’ wanted return of outdoor relief
improvements after the andover scandal
1845- well publicised by john walter in the times, conditions got better and the poor law commission was abolished for the poor law board under government control
examples in rise of charitability
angela burdett coutts Urania hospital for prostitutes, dickens books like oliver twist
changes in outdoor relief after PLAA
1842 ‘outdoor labour test order’ allowed outdoor relief but 1844 ‘outdoor relief prohibitory order’ ended it again and it got tightened after that
