In 1889, British wine merchant Thomas Mackay published The English
Poor, which espoused the ideas of Darwin and applied them to
British social and economic history. An acolyte of social Darwinist
Herbert Spencer, Mackay writes that human history has been a
struggle between individualism and socialism, and argues that only
through individual competition (not state social support) will
poverty be eradicated. The opening chapters discuss the human
instinct for property accumulation, primitive forms of society,
elite control of workers during the plague years, and the growth of
the proletariat. Later chapters discuss social legislation, the
evolution of England's poor laws, and the Industrial Revolution.
Finally, Mackay debates the scholarship of socialist Ernest Belfort
Bax, bemoans the misguided ideas of Christian charity, and argues
that the lives of 'lower types' of people have been prolonged by
the poor laws. This is a fascinating document of late-Victorian
economic thought.
General
Is the information for this product incomplete, wrong or inappropriate?
Let us know about it.
Does this product have an incorrect or missing image?
Send us a new image.
Is this product missing categories?
Add more categories.
Review This Product
No reviews yet - be the first to create one!