Britain, c1785–c1870: democracy, protest and reform - 4 Poverty and…

The idea

Between 1834 and 1870, attitudes to poverty shifted from harsh deterrence towards greater sympathy and self-help. The Andover workhouse scandal of 1845 exposed cruelty and mismanagement, where inmates were reduced to gnawing bones for marrow, causing national outrage and discrediting the Poor Law Commission. This fuelled criticism and led to reforms. Meanwhile, charity expanded through organisations like the Charity Organisation Society (founded 1869), which stressed careful giving, and self-help was promoted by Samuel Smiles' 'Self-Help' (1859), advocating thrift and independence. Charles Dickens attacked workhouse conditions and utilitarian attitudes in novels such as 'Oliver Twist' (1838) and 'Hard Times' (1854), shaping public opinion.

What earns the marks

• Explains the Andover workhouse scandal: exposure of starvation and bone-gnawing in 1845, leading to public outcry and a parliamentary inquiry.
• Assesses the scandal's impact on national opinion: it undermined confidence in the New Poor Law and contributed to the replacement of the Poor Law Commission with the Poor Law Board in 1847.
• Describes the growth of charity: the rise of charitable organisations, including the Charity Organisation Society, and their role in providing relief and promoting moral improvement.
• Explains the growth of self-help: Samuel Smiles' 'Self-Help' (1859) and its influence in encouraging individual responsibility and thrift among the working classes.
• Analyses Dickens' significance: his novels exposed workhouse cruelty and satirised utilitarian attitudes, influencing middle-class opinion and humanising the poor.
• Evaluates how these factors challenged attitudes: they fostered sympathy, but also reinforced distinctions between deserving and undeserving poor.

Common mistakes and how to put them right

• Claiming the Andover scandal immediately ended the workhouse system.

  Put it right: It led to reforms and greater oversight, but workhouses continued; the scandal mainly discredited the central commission.

• Treating charity and self-help as identical.

  Put it right: Charity involved organised giving from the wealthy, while self-help emphasised individual effort and independence among the poor themselves.

• Overstating Dickens' direct political influence.

  Put it right: His novels shaped public sympathy and attitudes, but change was gradual and driven by multiple factors including scandal and economic shifts.

Exam tips

• Use specific details from the Andover scandal, such as the date (1845) and the bone-gnawing, to show precise knowledge.
• Link Dickens' novels to specific criticisms of the Poor Law, e.g., 'Oliver Twist' and the workhouse, to demonstrate understanding of his role.
• When discussing changing attitudes, distinguish between short-term outrage and long-term shifts, and consider different social classes' perspectives.