Elizabethan revision resource (AQA GCSE)

The poor

The poverty crisis:

The labouring poor made up about half of all families in Tudor England.

They were illiterate, didn't own their own land.

The North West of England was the poorest part of the country

There was a growing awareness that there was a national poverty crisis

The causes of poverty:

There were several reasons for this increase in poverty:

The population rose by 43% between 1550-1600.

Added to this was the problem of rising prices (inflation). Rising prices weren't just caused by a growing population. Following the Spanish exploration of the 'New World', more silver was in circulation throughout Europe, reducing the value of all the currencies.

There were official bans on trade with the Spanish-ruled Netherlands in the 1560s, 1570s and 1580s and this deprived England of much-needed revenue from its usual export – wool.

Bad harvests (some of which coincided with outbreaks of the Plague), put additional pressures on the poor. Spiralling rents (rack-renting) made things even worse for tenants. Enclosure was also bad news for the poor, with the removing of the common land.

The dissolution of the monasteries in the 1530s removed a key source of charity.

Attitudes towards the poor:

The poor were divided into three groups by the government:

'Impotent poor' or 'helpless poor': These would include the old, the sick, the disabled and children. The elderly and the disabled received a sum of money and possibly some food each week. Children of the poor were given an apprenticeship paid for by the parish. In this way, the parish could expect to benefit from the child when they had grown up and learned a new skill. People who were thought to be "helpless poor" were not considered to be a burden as the government. Some parishes gave these people a licence to beg.

'Able-bodied poor' These were people who could work but also wanted to work. Each parish was meant to build a workhouse where the able-bodied poor would make cloth or anything that might benefit the parish. They got paid out of the Poor Rate and received basic shelter and food.

'Idle poor' were seen as a major threat to the social order. The 'idle poor' were viewed as rogues and vagabonds and were often referred to as 'sturdy beggars. This was the group targeted by the government. These were people who could work but preferred to beg or steal.

Government policies:

Elizabeth, initially at least, believed she had more important issues to focus on and there was a reluctance to accept that there was a national poverty problem and that the government was responsible for dealing with it.

Indirect measures were taken to solve the poverty problem:

In 1560 Elizabeth's carried out a full recoinage, by replacing all debased coins with new ones, thus restoring the country's currency to its proper levels.

A law in 1563 called the Statute of Artificers placed wage limits on skilled workers (to slow down inflation).

Her government also tried to slow down the trend for enclosure and protect rural jobs through the 1598 Act on Husbandry & Tillage.

Local measures:

Alms were collected for the poor

Censuses were carried out to make registers of the poor

Workhouses provided work for the poor

Efforts were made to control begging

In London, several hospitals were set up, which catered to different groups/needs e.g. Bethlehem Hospital (Bedlam) for the insane, St Thomas' for the elderly

The Elizabethan Poor Law:

These local measures made Elizabeth's government realise that a national system was needed to tackle the problem. Legislation regarding the poor was passed in 1563, 1573, and 1576. However, by the 1590s, the economy was weak and poverty was still a problem.

1597 Poor Law / amended in 1601 Act for the Relief of the Poor: The new law stated that every parish was responsible for the poor and unemployed within that parish. The Justice of the Peace (JP's) for each parish was allowed to collect a tax from those who owned land in the parish. This was called the poor rate. It was used to help the poor. This had two benefits:

It made the poor feel that something was being done for them and made them feel less angry about the situation they were in (keeps social order)

Some good work could be done by the poor within the parish to help that parish.

'Overseers of the Poor' were appointed to ensure orphans had apprenticeships and that almshouses were provided for the old and the ill. Overseers also had to provide work for the able-bodied poor in a 'House of Industry' or workhouse.

However, there was still a strong belief that many of those in poverty were lazy and much of the legislation focused on punishing those who were unwilling to work. Begging was strictly for forbidden and punishments were harsh. Persistent offenders would be hanged.

So the 1601 legislation meant that :

Impotent poor were cared for in almshouses or poorhouses

Able-bodied poor were set to work in a workhouse

Idle poor were punished – sent to House of Correction, whipped or even hanged

How successful were government policies to help the poor?

Successful

Important milestone: the Poor Law shows for the first time in English history, the government accepts responsibility for the welfare of the poor.

Poor Law fills the gap left after the Dissolution of the Monasteries (in Henry VIII's reign) – monasteries used to help the poor and sick.

Poor Law/Act for the Relief of the Poor would last for the next 200 years – important and lasting legislation

Provides help for Impotent and able-bodied poor ( shows Govt. recognise that many want to work or can't work due to age/illness) and these people are deserving of help.

Helped maintain the peace - despite the rise in poverty there were no major rebellions.

Not successful

Poverty continued to increase despite the new laws

The government was very harsh on the 'idle poor' – at worst, persistent beggars were hanged.