How far did the Poor Law Amendment Act mark a turning point in attitudes and state provision towards the poor?

With the new-found knowledge of the Old Poor Law, attitudes towards the poor themselves changed dramatically. Prior to the Poor Law Commission, British society had adopted a Paternalistic attitude. However, the state's sense of duty to look after its poor and provide "outdoor relief" became less popular as the poor rate rose significantly due to the unreformed system's inability to keep up with economic and social advances. Intellectuals such as Malthus and Ricardo began to highlight the flaws of the Old system by raising awareness of serious issues which would arise from the Old Poor Law. However, such views had no great impact on the majority until after the findings of the Commission, when people were more prepared to listen to what intellectuals were saying. In particular Jeremy Bentham's doctrine of 'utilitarianism' was at the center of the shift away from paternalism and the nation now believed his theory of 'the greatest happiness for the greatest majority'. Therefore the Commission of 1832 marked a turning point in the attitudes of British society towards the poor as the nation went from their paternalistic approach to adopting a utilitarianistic attitude and the views of anti-Old Poor Law intellectuals would have much more influence.

As the position of intellectuals became of great value, so did their solution to reforming the Old Poor Law. Jeremy Bentham's suggestion of establishing 250 industry houses and the abolition of 'outdoor' relief came into practice under a large Government legislation known as the Poor Law Amendment Act which, was a direct result of the Commission. Government legislations such as the 1817 Report of Select Committee which concerned reformation of the Old Poor Law had not been successful prior 1832 as they lacked the power, support and justification which the Commission of 1832 provided. Therefore the Poor Law Commission marked a major turning point in the state provision to the poor as the government were now able to issue legislations which would change the Old Poor Law.  

The Poor Law Amendment Act changed the dominate class which controlled poverty issues. Prior to the Commission, it mainly land aristocracy who dealt with the poor. After the Commission, this changed as due to the middle-classes getting the vote in 1832, the shift from paternalism to utilitarianism and the creation of the Poor Law Amendment Act, the middle-class and intellects were able to tackle the problems caused by poverty. Therefore the Commission was a massive turning point in the way the state dealt with the poor as it produced the Poor Law Amendment Act which in turn handed over power to the middle-class rather than the upper=class.

Although the Poor Law Commission was a marked a major turning point in the way society and the state dealt with the poor, its limitations restricts its impact as a turning point. The investigation only covered 10% of Britain’s parishes and the methods the assistant commissioners used to gather evidence, were inefficient and inappropriate. Most importantly however, the commissioners had already come to their conclusions before the investigation was conducted and merely intended to use its findings as a tool to reform the poor laws.

In conclusion, despite the fact that Poor Law Commission of 1832 had a predetermined aim and does not live up to modern accuracy, it was a ground-breaking survey for its time. The Commission must be recognised as a massive turning point as, not only did it end a system which had been in the works since 1601 but it changed  ownership of poverty, gave government control of issues which had previously been out of their hands, ended traditional society and paternalism and also started the welfare state