In What Way Might the Legacy of the 1834, Poor Law Be Seen in Contemporary Welfare Policy?

In what way might the legacy of the 1834, poor Law be seen in contemporary welfare policy? This essay will endeavour to highlight the advantages/disadvantages, and how the welfare state treats individual members of the community differently .The historically changing conceptualization of the welfare state and its provision of social services the individuals democratic right to access the state provided benefits, are looked at in their historically and geographically changing existing structure. Conflicting conservative, liberal and socialist methods to the view of individual vs. collective responsibility are considered in the context of rival welfare state arrangements. The Poor Law was established and put into motion in 1601 during the time of Elizabeth I. The aims of the poor law, according to Golding and Middleton were work, discipline, deterrence and classification. The poor law was the most important policy development dealing with poverty up until the end of the nineteenth century and it was a development, which main objective was upon control and deterrence. The Poor Law of 1601 lasted for over two centuries, but it was inefficient. Governments did not have the control, means or organisation to deal with poverty effectively. Poverty was a regional and national problem, and yet each local parish was left to deal with it individually
The Poor Law cannot be seen just as a vehicle used to preserve life of those who could not feed, clothe or house themselves. Rather it should be seen as a part of the social response of a society that was moving from a wholly agricultural and village based society towards an industrialised and largely urban society. What is the legacy?....... the welfare state of to day with social benefits for all and free medical help also education no one needs to starve in Britain. The idears of the older poor laws can be seen in to days welfare state as an extension of these poor laws through more recent governments

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