The British Tradition of Poor Laws in Counteracting the Effects of Economic Deprivation
Purpose:The purpose of this article is to analyse the historical development of the British Poor Laws as a public-law instrument designed to counteract economic deprivation while simultaneously safeguarding public security and social order. The study emphasises the role of welfare legislation in addressing poverty-related crime, controlling vagrancy, and stabilisinglabour relations, demonstrating that security considerations were central to the formation and evolution of poor relief institutions. Design/Methodology/Approach: The article adopts a qualitative historical and institutional research approach, based on the analysis of legal acts, archival sources, and scholarly literature in the fields of economic history, social policy, and public security. Findings: The analysis indicates that the British Poor Laws functioned primarily as instruments of public security and social control rather than as a system of social protection in the contemporary sense. Welfare provisions were closely linked to mechanisms that restricted population mobility, criminalised vagrancy, and enforced compulsory labour. Practical implications:The findings offer historical insights relevant to contemporary debates on social policy and public security. They demonstrate that welfare systems designed primarily around security and fiscal discipline may generate long-term risks of social exclusion and dependency, which remain relevant for modern policymakers addressing poverty-related crime and social instability. Originality/Value: The article contributes to the literature by integrating analyses of welfare law, public security, and economic development. By highlighting the security-driven logic underlying the British Poor Laws, the study provides a deeper understanding of the institutional foundations of modern social security systems and the enduring tension between protection and control.