Social Security Through History.
Social Security Through History.
In the middle ages help for the poor, the sick and the elderly was provided primarily by family friends and occasionally by the church. The state did not become included in the welfare provision until the poor law act of 1601, which made local parishes responsible for providing poor relief. This relief was paid for by local rates. This replaced previous Acts and remained the basis for the poor until 1834 poor amendment Act. By the beginning of the nineteenth century 10% of the population were receiving poor relief creating a burden on the local ratepayers. (Alcock, 1996,p.20) This essay will look at welfare before the welfare state. Why workhouses were set up and who was to benefit and enter them? Has modern society changed over the last 400 years?
There have been many social policy attempts that have come into force towards poverty from 1601 to the present day. Many were negative and never thinking of the individual, just how to get them off the streets and out of destitution. In the later part of the seventeenth century relief of the poor required church wardens to set up correction houses for the poor and anyone refusing to work. They were to set the able-bodied and children off to work to gain apprentices. In the 21st century this is still the case with the benefit system, the new deal scheme provides jobs not to benefit the individual but to keep people out of destitution. Anger came from many occupiers of land as all were to be taxed by the parish to pay for the work that inmates were sent to do. In modern society this is still the case workers are taxed out of there wages to provide for the needy and the sick.
In 1601 an Act for the relief of the poor was set up and replaced a variety of previous Acts that recognised the state obligation to the needy. This Act was aimed at the church allocating relief and the use of correction houses for the vagrants. The main aim of this policy was for the church to erect homes and house the inmates. This was a practice that continued for over 300 years. Allocating properties to the homeless is done today by the local council, however it could be argued the homes provided to these poor people are no better than those of the vagrants. Hostels are available for the poor but many hostels only open to provide sleeping arrangements so many are on the streets in all weather. In London there's soup run every day that provides a hot cup of soup and a piece of bread for the homeless. Some would argue perhaps that in today's society our system towards the poor and homeless is worse than the 1800`s, at least people were given a roof over there heads regardless of the appalling conditions the workhouses provided.
In the nineteenth century, workhouses became a national system of state support. There were over two hundred workhouses built over three hundred years. In which those who could prove they were destitute could receive public assistance, on the condition that this assistance included a direct incentive to seek alternative self support and was provided on a more punitive basis than the condition enjoyed by those in worse paid employment. This early form of social security often took the form of residence is a state institution known as the workhouse where conditions were harsh. (Alcock, 1996,p.21) The later form ...
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In the nineteenth century, workhouses became a national system of state support. There were over two hundred workhouses built over three hundred years. In which those who could prove they were destitute could receive public assistance, on the condition that this assistance included a direct incentive to seek alternative self support and was provided on a more punitive basis than the condition enjoyed by those in worse paid employment. This early form of social security often took the form of residence is a state institution known as the workhouse where conditions were harsh. (Alcock, 1996,p.21) The later form of social security is very much the same. Poor people in Britain are means-tested by the Government and those who cannot provide for themselves are given a basic amount of money to keep them on or below the poverty line but enough money not to face starvation. However many elderly citizens are dying every winter due to the fact they do not have enough money to provide themselves with a healthy diet and to keep themselves warm.
Prior to the 1834 Amendment Act, workhouses were mainly there to reduce idleness. This was the last resort for the totally destitute. Anybody who could not support themselves and were suffering hardship was housed in the workhouse. (See appendix 1) Mentally ill and handicapped were also housed at the workhouses; many disabled people were left like animals in the yard and fed scraps of food like dogs, because they were thought to be different. In the middle of the nineteenth century, establishment of mental asylums were designed and the mentally ill and disabled were allowed to leave the workhouse. However for many years the mentally ill stayed in the workhouses in appalling conditions. Workhouses were not prisons and entry was voluntary although often painful. Although the workhouses were primarily there to protect the destitute there were strong criticism. Families were separated and punished if they spoke to one another. This would have been difficult enough for man and wife but would most likely have caused severe emotional stress for young children, and even long term psychological harm. So the poor were being punished for only being poor and the blame was put on individuals.
People entering the workhouses were not all criminals, just guilty of being poor. Inmates were suffering absolute poverty; not requiring the basic needs for human survival, no food causing hunger, no shelter to keep them warm and safe. The cycle of poverty was hard to break. Poverty tends to breed poverty and in many cases is passed from one generation to another. Many people claiming poor relief and entering the workhouses were seen collapsing and emotionally distressed before facing the reality of the workhouse. It was the final soul searching decision anyone could ever take either, enter the workhouse and be treated like a hard criminal or starve to death.
On entering the workhouse, paupers were stripped, searched, bathed and given a uniform, comprising of hardwearing clothes and boots. Their clothes were washed in disinfectant and put into personal possessions ready for when they left, although many never left. For many years' women wore badges or clothes to match why they were in there; prostitutes would wear yellow badges and unmarried mothers would wear red badges. In 1839 the poor law commissions abolished these clothing rules, so all women wore the same. This took away the individuals identification a human has and was very demoralising.
The workhouse consisted of basic rooms such as dining halls and dormitories and also had there own laundries, vegetable gardens, bakeries, chapels, nurseries and fever wards for the ill. Inmates were usually given a variety of tasks to do, usually concerning the efficient running of the workhouse women were to do the domestic duties and men the agricultural duties. Inmates were up at six in the morning working from seven a.m., finish at six in the evening, have the basic essentials for tea and bed at seven p.m. (Anon, 2 1998, p.7) A rigid timetable was followed everyday of the year all, by the ringing of a bell. The rules of the workhouse were read out weekly, so inmates could not say they were illiterate. (See appendix 1) If any of the rules were broken although most were too fearful of the consequences, then severe punishment would be given out. This could range from being put in a dungeon for two months or no food for two days. Even children were punished, taking cheese and bread off them for one week. Although this does not sound harsh inmates were only given the bare essentials to get through the day. This is like the benefit system today, either except the job opportunity on offer to you or we will take 20% of your benefit off you there is always some form of punishment for not agreeing with Government policies. The inmates were all very thin and many looked like skeletons. It could be argued that had inmates been treated better and been fed better they may have become more productive workers.
The rations of food received each day per person were meagre, (see appendix 2) many described he food rations as a "slow process of starvation" (Anon, 2, 1998, p.3). This came to public attention in 1845 when inmates at Andover workhouse were discovered to have been fighting over scraps of decaying meat on the bones they were meant to be crushing. Inmates could get their food weighed if they suspected that it was below the regulation weight but if this was done without good reason there were severe consequences.
The workhouses were so hated and feared by the poor, that many preferred to face starvation, rather than enter the workhouse. This is what the authority wanted. Due to conditions being so tough and unethical the public started to disagree with the cruelty that was going on inside the workhouses. Edwin Chadwick had great success with the 1834 poor law amendment act. (Anon, 2000,p.5) The commissioners, Edwin Chadwick included, were to supervise the accounts, standard of accommodation, the diet and dress of all inmates. In 1847 the poor law board replaced the poor law commissioners. This in turn developed into the local government board in 1871. The 1929 local government act abolished all workhouses and their responsibilities were passed to local councils. As time went on conditions improved. Workhouse schools were introduced to prepare children for an independent life or more for the financial gain of the Government. By educating the young and teaching them new skills this would provide the workforce for society. Maybe the young could break the poverty cycle they were accustomed to.
There have been many attempts in history over the last four hundred years to try and alleviate poverty. The workhouses were originally set up to help people support themselves. There was a positive attempt at reducing the poor population, although this aim was never fulfilled The workhouses were criticised for being very in humane. The government believed the poor were being treated fair considering the circumstances they were in, and maybe even blamed them for being in that situation. These thoughts are still propagated through society today the poor are still seen as the lower class and looked down on as idle, many poor people feel they are worthless to not only society but also themselves. However if workhouses were like hotels this would have encouraged idleness. Many policies bought nothing but distress and cruelty to the poor and the needy. Furthermore it has to be argued that rather than face starvation, on entering the workhouses poor people would receive the basic food and shelter to live although conditions were appalling. A little like modern society today either you can have what is offered to you by the state or you can starve to death.
