Boothe And Rowntree

?
  • Created by: robear
  • Created on: 25-03-22 09:57

Boothe And Rowntree

Causes

  • Many people were experiencing extreme levels of poverty which was usually viewed as there own fault, the poor were often categorised as lazy.Booth viewed this as unfair and studied the levels of poverty in England he wrote a report entitled 'the life and labour of people in London' and discovered that 30% of people lived in poverty.
  • Rowntree was a member of the rich rowntree sweets family. he conducted his studies in York. He concluded that 30% of people in York were in poverty. he determined that you must be earning over 21 shillings a week to be 'above the poverty line'

Effects

  • his findings proved that many in london were not to blame for their poverty - this was extremely important as it showed the rich that they should sympathise with the poor.
  • Booth and Rowntree agreed on two points. 30% of people were below the poverty line. and people were not to blame for their own poverty usually they could not pull themselves out of poverty.
  • Boothe and Rowntree both determined that the people most at the risk of poverty were the elderly, ill and unemployed. Both the Young and Old were at risk of poverty.
  • this also links to the national efficiency questions, it was likely that if conditions of the poor improved then national efficiency would improve

Overall summary

Conclusively, Booth and Rowntree ignited the change in thinking of the rich and attitudes towards the poor. They were the first to recognise that the poor weren't to blame for their condition. It also explained some of the national efficiency concerns and gave a motive for positive change in the government regarding the poor. 

Comments

No comments have yet been made

Similar History resources:

NL
See all History resources »See all Britain -1900-51 resources »