Majority report (Poor Law)
Encyclopedia
The Majority report was a report published by the Royal Commission
on the Poor Law
s published in 1909. The Royal Commission on the Poor Laws was a group set up to work out the best way to relieve the poor. The Commission was made up of members of the Charity Organisation Society such as Helen Bosanquet
as well as Local Government Boards, Trade Unions and social researchers such as Charles Booth
.
The majority report was however only one report the Royal Commission published. Another report known as Minority report
was also published.
Royal Commission
In Commonwealth realms and other monarchies a Royal Commission is a major ad-hoc formal public inquiry into a defined issue. They have been held in various countries such as the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and Saudi Arabia...
on the Poor Law
Poor Law
The English Poor Laws were a system of poor relief which existed in England and Wales that developed out of late-medieval and Tudor-era laws before being codified in 1587–98...
s published in 1909. The Royal Commission on the Poor Laws was a group set up to work out the best way to relieve the poor. The Commission was made up of members of the Charity Organisation Society such as Helen Bosanquet
Helen Bosanquet
Helen Bosanquet, née Dendy was a social theorist and social reformer.She is most recognizably known as one of the leaders of the Charity Organisation Society in Britain...
as well as Local Government Boards, Trade Unions and social researchers such as Charles Booth
Charles Booth (philanthropist)
Charles Booth was an English philanthropist and social researcher. He is most famed for his innovative work on documenting working class life in London at the end of the 19th century, work that along with that of Benjamin Seebohm Rowntree influenced government intervention against poverty in the...
.
The majority report was however only one report the Royal Commission published. Another report known as Minority report
Minority report (Poor Law)
The Minority report was one of two reports published by the Royal Commission into the Operation of the Poor Laws 1905-09, the other being Majority report. Headed by the Fabian socialist Beatrice Webb, it called for a system that was radically different from the existing Poor Law...
was also published.
Findings of the report
- The origins of poverty were moral factors
- The Poor Law should remain
- Boards of Guardians provided too much outdoor reliefOutdoor reliefThis article refers to Britain's welfare provision after the 1601 Poor Law. For welfare programmes see Social securityAfter the passing of the Elizabethan Poor Law , outdoor relief was that kind of poor relief where assistance was in the form of money, food, clothing or goods, given to alleviate...
- Able-bodied poor were not deterred from seeking relief because of mixed workhouses.