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The Investigation of Poverty

Explore how Booth & Rowntree's investigations transformed attitudes towards poverty in 19th-century Britain, prompting government intervention for social reform.

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The Investigation of Poverty

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  1. The Investigation of Poverty Aims: • To identify the findings of Booth and Rowntree who investigated poverty. • To examine the shift away from laissez faire towards collectivism by the end of the 19th century

  2. Changing Attitudes • From 1840 onwards the role of the government began to change. • The government passed laws to control: • conditions and hours of children working in factories and mines. • public health eg providing clean water and sewage systems in towns. • living conditions through slum clearance.

  3. Charles Booth • Wealthy Liverpool ship owner • Investigated poverty in London • 1 million families investigated over 17 years.

  4. Charles Booth’s “Survey of Life and Labour in London” completed in 1903, showed the huge level of poverty in London:nearly one third of the population

  5. Seebohm Rowntree • Related to cocoa and chocolate manufacturers. • Investigated poverty in York

  6. Seebohm Rowntree’s study of working class families in York: “Poverty: A study of Town Life” was published in 1901.It confirmed Charles Booth’s findings that one third of Britain’s population was living in poverty • Booth and Rowntree’s surveys revealed the scale of Britain’s poverty for the first time and its causes: low wages, unemployment and old age.

  7. The Boer war broke out in 1899 between Britain and South Africa. Many recruits ( 60% ) were rejected on health grounds. • The Government realised that it would have to do more to improve the lives of Britain’s poorest workers if Britain wanted to defend itself or beat its competitors like Germany or the USA.

  8. Overall Effects of Social Investigations into Poverty • Created a greater awareness of the scale of poverty in the country. • Helped to change public opinion i.e. that government intervention was needed to help the poor. • Booth’s and Rowntree’s surveys gave it a clear picture of the scale and the causes of poverty across Britain and made it impossible for the government to ignore the problem.

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