A move away from laissez faire

The response initially involved private charity rather than public welfare

Self help

• Samuel Smiles warned against the government helping people too much

• People believed poverty could be beaten by hard work and a positive attitude

What self-help was there?

• Friendly societies• Savings banks• Co-operative

Movement• relatives• However people like

Mayhew believed that some people e.g. casual labourers were unable to save

Charities

• To fill the gap in the welfare system a host of charities sprung up (640 by 1861)

• Many were motivated by a Christian or humanitarian desire

• The urban middle class were becoming more aware of how adequate the Poor Law was

Charities

• 1867 COS was formed under loch to ‘attack the problem of poverty’

• Many would only help the ‘deserving poor’ as they wanted people to help themselves

• Moderated in the 1890s due to economic distress

‘Don’t give him a fish to feed him today- teach him how to fish so he can feed himself and his family every day’

YMCA (1844)

                                                                         

George Williams, born on a farm in 1821. He and a group of fellow drapers organized the first YMCA to substitute Bible study and prayer for life on the streets. By 1851 there were 24 Ys in Great Britain, with a combined membership of 2,700.

The Salvation Army (1866)

                   

     

William Booth

Children queuing for Salvation Army"Farthing breakfasts", about 1900

Dr Barnardo’s Homes (1869)

100 homes for 100,000 orphans by 1900

NSPCC (1844)founded by Rev Waugh

Improvements by 1900s?

• Poverty remained largely untreated

• Workhouse was still a grim and hated place

• 3% receiving relief at a time when 30% of people in dire poverty

Improvements by 1900s?

• Acknowledgment that Poor law was failing to deal with poverty

• Investigations challenged ideas and changing attitudes led to reforms

                   

     

                   

     

ACTIVITY

• What were the motives behind behind private individuals giving to charity?

• What were the weaknesses of the Poor Law as a method of dealing with the problems of poverty in an industrial society?