SOCWORK 1A06 Lecture Notes - Lecture 3: Workhouse, English Poor Laws, Good Moral Character
Document Summary
Socio-political context of help : charity & moral models. Morality: attitudes and beliefs about what is right or wrong, good and bad. Morality is not a fixed concept but that is not fixed construct, but one that is socially constructed and is influenced by the social context. Indoor relief: marks beginning of charity model, no analysis of social structures, targeted groups; Those with criminal backgrounds: poverty seen as a flaw in a person"s character, participation in poor houses had a negative connotation. 1832: start of moral reform era (19th and earl 20th), people were migrating to urban centres to look for manufacturing jobs, number of people seeking relief increased, provinces and territories had informally been following the elizabethan poor laws. 1860: most provinces adopted the poor law or the english civil law. Poor laws: overseen by municipalities, outdoor reliefs, charity and religious organizations providing indoor relief. Highlights of moral reform era: charity institutionalized, deservingness , less eligibility.