Elizabethan Poor Laws

The Elizabethan Poor Laws, established in England in 1601, created a system to provide relief for those in need. They divided assistance into categories: some helped the very poor unable to work, supported through local taxes or charity, while others were expected to seek work and become self-sufficient. The laws made local parishes responsible for caring for their poor, and they established the right to collect taxes to fund relief efforts. This framework aimed to address poverty systematically, balancing charity, work, and government intervention to manage societal welfare more effectively.