Statement of the Provision for the Poor, and of the Condition of the Labouring Classes in a Considerable Portion of America and Europe: Being the preface to the foreign communications contained in the appendix to the Poor-Law ReportSenior, Nassau William
History
Statement of the Provision for the Poor, and of the Condition of the Labouring Classes in a Considerable Portion of America and Europe: Being the preface to the foreign communications contained in the appendix to the Poor-Law Report
Senior, Nassau William
Poor -- Europe; Poor -- United States; Working class
Such persons as may either not have been considered to
be entitled to an extension of time for procuring lawful
maintenance, or who, notwithstanding such permission, have not
been able to provide themselves with the same, shall be liable
to do work, if a man, at any of the corps of pioneers in the
kingdom, and if a woman, at a public house of correction. If
the man is unfit for a pioneer, he shall in lieu thereof be
sent to a public house of correction.--(p. 363.)
It appears that pauperism has increased under the existing system.
Mr. Bloomfield states that since its institution the number of poor
has increased in proportion to the population (p. 368). The Stockholm
return states that--
The main defect of the charitable institutions consists in a
very imperfect control over the application of their funds,
the parish not being accountable for their distribution to any
superior authority. This is so much felt, that new regulations
are contemplated for bringing parish affairs more under the
inspection of a central board. Another great evil is, that each
parish manages its affairs quite independently of any other,
and frequently in a totally different manner; and there is no
mutual inspection among the parishes, which, it is supposed,
would check abuses. Again, parishes are not consistent in
affording relief; they often receive and treat an able-bodied
impostor (who legally has no claim on the parish) as an
impotent or sick person, whilst many of the latter description
remain unaided.
The Swedish artizan is neither so industrious nor so frugal as
formerly; he has heard that the destitute able-bodied are in
England supported by the parish; he claims similar relief, and
alleges his expectation of it as an excuse for prodigality or
indifference to saving.--(p. 375.)
That the number of poor (says Colonel Forsell) has lately
increased in a far greater progression than before, is indeed
a deplorable truth. At Stockholm, in the year 1737, the number
of poor was 930; in 1825 there were reckoned 15,000 indigent
persons. Their support, in 1731, cost 9000 dollars (dallar). In
1825, nearly 500,000 rix dollars banco were employed in alms,
donations, and pensions. Perhaps these facts explain why, in
Stockholm, every year about 1500 individuals more die than are
born, although the climate and situation of this capital is by
no means insalubrious; for the same may be said of almshouses
as is said of foundling hospitals and similar charitable
establishments, that the more their number is increased, the
more they are applied to.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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