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
On recurring to the statements which we have extracted, it will be
seen that he loses all right to property; that he becomes incapable of
contracting marriage while receiving relief, and in many countries,
if he have once received relief, cannot marry until he has reimbursed
the parish, or has procured security that his future family shall not
become chargeable, or till three years have elapsed since he last
received relief. If married, he loses control over his children, he
cannot choose his residence or his occupation, and if he once becomes
the inmate of a workhouse _he incurs the risk of imprisonment for
life_. When such are the terms offered by the public, it is easy to
understand that none but the really destitute will accept them.
[Sidenote: 5. Restraints imposed on the labouring classes.]
5. The prevalence of habits productive of pauperism is repressed
by subjecting the whole labouring population to superintendence
and restrictions, which we should consider vexatious. As they are
in a great measure interwoven with the laws for the relief of the
unemployed, and have been in general already stated, it is not
necessary to repeat them.
[Sidenote: 6. Prevention of improvident marriage.]
6. In almost all the countries which have been mentioned, endeavours
are made to prevent the existence of a redundant population, by
throwing obstacles in the way of improvident marriage. Marriage on
the part of persons in the actual receipt of relief, appears to be
everywhere prohibited, and the marriage of those who are not likely to
possess the means of independent support, is allowed by very few.
Thus we are told that in Norway no one can marry without “showing,
to the satisfaction of the clergyman, that he is permanently settled
in such a manner as to offer a fair prospect that he can maintain a
family.” (p. 697.)
In Mecklenburg, that “marriages are delayed by conscription in the 22d
year, and military service for six years; besides, the parties must
have a dwelling, without which a clergyman is not permitted to marry
them. The men marry at from 25 to 30, the women not much earlier, as
both must first gain by service enough to establish themselves.” (p.
423.)
In Saxony, “that a man may not marry before he is 21 years old, if
liable to serve in the army.” In Dresden, “professionists, (by which
word artizans are probably meant,) may not marry until they become
masters in their trade.” (p. 482.)
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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