What were the poor laws? What was their purpose and what did they set out to do? my answer for the first part:
- The poor laws was a law regulating the public relief or support of the poor. Its purpose was...?
The New Poor Law was enacted in 1834 to save tax payers money.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/English_Poor_Laws#New_Poor_Law
To find the purpose of the Poor Laws, we can conduct a quick search on reliable sources or reference books. One reliable source to consult is "The Poor Laws: A Comparative History" by Pascale Fournier and Malcolm Langford.
1. Open your web browser and go to a search engine like Google.
2. Type in the search query: "purpose of the Poor Laws"
3. Look for reputable sources like government websites, academic journals, or trustworthy historical websites.
4. Click on a reliable source such as an academic article or a relevant book on the subject.
5. Read through the information provided about the purpose of the Poor Laws.
The Poor Laws in England, which originated in the 16th century and were later updated in the 18th and 19th centuries, were a set of laws aimed at providing assistance to the poor and controlling the administration of public relief. They had several purposes:
1. Providing relief: The primary objective of the Poor Laws was to ensure that basic needs, such as food, shelter, and healthcare, were provided to the impoverished members of society, who were unable to support themselves. This relief was primarily offered through workhouses.
2. Managing pauperism: Another purpose was to regulate the increasing numbers of paupers (people dependent on public assistance), ensuring that only those deemed genuinely in need received support. This involved detecting and preventing fraud or abuse of the system.
3. Controlling social order: The Poor Laws aimed to maintain social order by creating a distinction between the deserving and undeserving poor. The deserving poor were those considered worthy of assistance, such as the elderly, disabled, and orphaned. The undeserving poor were individuals seen as capable of work but unwilling to support themselves, and they were subjected to harsh conditions in workhouses as a deterrent.
4. Discouraging dependency: The laws aimed to discourage dependency on public relief by implementing conditions and restrictions. For instance, able-bodied individuals seeking support would be required to work in the workhouses, often performing tedious or laborious tasks as a form of punishment for their dependency.
To get a comprehensive understanding of the Poor Laws and their purpose, further research would be beneficial.