Works Seebohm Rowntree

1 works

1.1 first york study (1899)
1.2 second york study (1935)
1.3 third york study (1951)
1.4 further writings

works
first york study (1899)

poverty in towns, slum dwellers in dublin, ireland circa 1901.

rowntree investigated poverty in york, inspired work of father joseph rowntree , work of charles booth in london. carried out comprehensive survey living conditions of poor in york during investigators visited every working class home. amounted detailed study of 11,560 families or 46,754 individuals. results of study published in 1901 in book poverty, study of town life.

in rowntree s work, surveyed rich families in york , drew poverty line in terms of minimum weekly sum of money necessary enable families... secure necessaries of healthy life (quoted in coates , silburn, 1970). money needed subsistence level of existence covered fuel , light, rent, food, clothing, , household , personal items, adjusted according family size. determined level using social scientific methods hadn t been applied study of poverty before. example, consulted leading nutritionists of period discover minimum calorific intake , nutritional balance necessary before people got ill or lost weight. surveyed prices of food in york discover cheapest prices in area food needed minimum diet , used information set poverty line.

according measure, 27.84 percent of total population of york lived below poverty line. result corresponded charles booth s study of poverty in london , challenged view, commonly held @ time, abject poverty problem particular london , not widespread in rest of britain.

he placed below poverty line 2 groups depending on reason poverty. in primary poverty did not have enough income meet expenditure necessary basic needs. classed in secondary poverty had high enough income meet basic needs money being spent elsewhere unable afford necessities of life.

in analysing results of investigation found people @ stages of life, example in old age , childhood, more in abject poverty, living below poverty line, @ other stages of life. formulated idea of poverty cycle in people moved in , out of absolute poverty during lives.

rowntree s argument poverty result of low wages went against traditionally held view poor responsible own plight.

second york study (1935)

rowntree conducted further study of poverty in york in 1936 under title poverty , progress. based largely on similar research method earlier study , found absolute poverty among working class in york had decreased 50% since first study. however, changed definition of poverty line, , measure of absolute poverty, earlier study not direct comparison. in study included allowances items not strictly necessary survival, these included newspapers, books, radios, beer, tobacco, holidays, , presents. results showed causes of poverty had changed considerably in few decades. in 1890s, major reason primary poverty low wages, 52%, whereas in 1930s unemployment accounted 44.53% , low wages 10%.

despite inclusion of items, found percentage of sample population in poverty had dropped 18 per cent in 1936 , 1.5 per cent in 1950. rowntree helped many, poverty became lower, , more people became wealthy, due jobs.

third york study (1951)

rowntree published third study of york s poverty in 1951 under title poverty , welfare state produced in collaboration research assistant commander g. r. lavers. unlike other studies of york sampling technique used rather comprehensive survey.

by 1950s, appeared absolute poverty minor problem although pockets did remain, example among elderly, believed increased welfare benefits eradicate lingering poverty. conquest of poverty put down expanding economy 1950s years of affluent society , government policies of full employment, , success of welfare state. believed operation of welfare state had redistributed wealth rich poor , raised working class living standards.

further writings

david lloyd george urged rowntree write on rural living conditions in britain: land (1913) , how labourer lives (1913) looked @ living conditions of farming families. rowntree argued increase in landholdings make agriculture more productive.

his work human needs of labour argued family allowances , national minimum wage, , in human factor in business, rowntree argued business owners should adopt more democratic practices @ own factory rather more autocratic leadership styles.