The Investigation of Poverty

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 Booths Survey of Life and Labour in
  London completed in 1903, showed the huge level
  of poverty in Londonnearly one third of the
  population

5
Seebohm Rowntree

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

6

• Seebohm Rowntrees study of working class
  families in York Poverty A study of Town Life
  was published in 1901.It confirmed Charles
  Booths findings that one third of Britains
  population was living in poverty
• Booth and Rowntrees surveys revealed the scale
  of Britains 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 Britains 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.
• Booths and Rowntrees 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.