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
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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
We have entered into this full statement of the Danish poor laws,
and of their administration, because they exhibit the most extensive
experiment that has as yet been made in any considerable portion of the
Continent of a system in many respects resembling our own.
MECKLENBURG.
The following passage, at the conclusion of M. Meyen’s report, gives a
short summary of the poor laws of Mecklenburg: (p. 424.)
Every inhabitant is obliged to pay certain poor rates, with
the exception of military men, up to a certain rank, students,
clerks in counting-houses and shops, assistant artisans and
servants.
When the crown lands are let, there is always a clause in the
contract, to regulate what the farmer, the dairy farmer, the
smith and the shepherd, are to give. A day labourer pays 8_d._
yearly.
The inhabitants of higher situation and public officers pay
voluntarily. They ought to pay one per cent. of their income.
If any one pays too little, the overseers of the poor rates
can oblige him to pay more. The overseers are chosen by the
inhabitants of the district.
In the towns all inhabitants pay a voluntary subscription; it
ought to be one per cent. of their income. If they pay too
little, the overseers can demand more. The overseers are chosen
by the magistrate.
With respect to estates belonging to private individuals, the
subsistence of the poor falls entirely to the charge of the
proprietor, who is entitled to levy a trifling tax from all
the inhabitants of the estate, equal to a simple contribution
amounting to 8_d._ for a day labourer per annum, and 4_d._ for
a maid servant. Few proprietors, however, levy such a tax.
Every one has a legal claim to assistance, and there are to be
distinguished,
1st. Able-bodied persons. Work and a dwelling _must_ be
provided for them; the former at the usual rate, in order not
to render them quite destitute, if through chicane work should
be denied to them.
2d. People, impotent through age, must perform such work as
they are capable of, and so much must be given to them that
they can live upon it, besides a dwelling and fuel.
PRUSSIA.
There is some difficulty in reconciling Mr. Abercrombie’s report and
Mr. Gibsone’s. The following is Mr. Abercrombie’s statement: (pp. 425,
426.)
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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