The Poor Laws
Poverty was mostly considered to be your own fault in Elizabethan times, but attitudes started to change towards the end of Elizabeth鈥檚 reign and the government decided to take action. This was because of:
- fears that the 鈥榮ocial order鈥 might be threatened if the growing number of poor people ganged together and started a rebellion
- the risk that A wandering beggar who often turned to crime. Vagabonds were seen as a serious threat to the social order. and beggars might turn to crime
- fears that the poor might spread disease
What actions were taken?
Local level
Unpaid local officials (called Justices of the Peace) were made responsible for poverty related issues in their parish. They were allowed to collect taxes in order to help the poor and unemployed. For much of the century the authorities grouped people into either the 鈥榠mpotent poor鈥 or the able-bodied poor鈥:
- Impotent poor 鈥 people unable to work due to age, disability or other infirmity. Limited relief was provided by the community in which they lived.
- Able-bodied poor - these were people who were physically able to work and were forced to, to prevent them from becoming vagrants, beggars or vagabonds. It was thought many able-bodied poor were lazy, idle and threatened the established social order. The 1572 Vagabonds Act introduced severe action against vagrants who could now be whipped, bored through the ear and put to death if they were repeatedly caught begging.
National level 鈥 1601 Poor Law
1601 saw the formalisation of earlier acts and laws of poor relief. Poor Laws were key pieces of legislation:
- they brought in a compulsory nationwide A local tax levied by a parish to finance the relief or support of the poor. system
- everyone had to contribute and those who refused would go to jail
- begging was banned and anyone caught was whipped and sent back to their place of birth
- A house for the poor to stay in paid for by charity. were established to look after the impotent poor
Did Elizabeth successfully look after the welfare of the people?
The first 30 years of Elizabeth鈥檚 reign saw stability and prosperity but a rising population led to an increase in poverty and growing social problems, especially in towns. By the end of Elizabeth鈥檚 reign wide-ranging laws were passed to support the poor, which remained in place for the next 200 years. The Poor Laws can be seen as a major shift in English history, for the first time the government was responsible for the welfare of the weakest people in society however most of the relief still came from private individuals.
A treatise against idle pastimes