Items related to The state, the poor, & the country; including suggestion...
Synopsis
This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated.1870 Excerpt: ... III. THE STATE, THE POOE, AND THE COUNTRY. In addition to the methods already described for improving the condition of the weaker classes, and consequently of the community at large, I desire, in conclusion, to suggest other work for the State,--work by which the poorer classes will be benefited, while a new means is provided for the development of the National Resources. A grand work lies before our Statesmen,---namely, that of developing the resources of our country, and, by the same process, of converting into agents of production a large portion of our pauper population. These are the two elements which have to be turned to better account than at present,--namely, the unproductive Labour, and the still imperfectly developed natural resources of the Country. The first of these objects includes the thinning of the ranks of pauperism, and the diminution of the "sunk capital" annually spent in poor-rates. In the new Parliament, where the working-classes are fully represented, such objects are likely to be carried out with an earnestness unknown before. The working-classes themselves, we believe, have the spirit, as they unquestionably have a direct interest, to check the growth of the idle poor; and probably we may expect that severer measures for this purpose will be adopted than hitherto would have been politic. For a middle-class Parliament to enact stringent laws relating to the idle poor, would have excited false and bitter charges of oppression; but laws passed by a Legislature in which the working-classes are fully represented will be open to no such charges or misrepresentation. In all probability we shall ere long see the Apostolic maxim enforced, that if a man is to eat he must work. Involuntary pauperism, we doubt not, will be cared for better th...
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