discussion-2092

discussion ( 300 words) and write 2 comments ( 100 words each) 

do not use outside source, please be specific

discussion:

POOR LAWS

The Elizabethan Poor Laws existed unchanged in England, the American Colonies, and later, the United States for 250 years. While as a complete system of welfare, they do not exist anymore, some of the core principles, values, and beliefs about what causes poverty and the poor themselves still exist in American society and within our current Welfare System. Can you detect any societal beliefs about poverty and the poor that can be traced to the Elizabethan Poor Laws? Think about all the disparate components of our system such as social security, food stamps, health care, public assistance, work program, child welfare, and mental health. Back-up your claims with examples from current policy. Use all resources at your disposal. My questions to you will be to lead the discussion towards understanding, not politicizing…..

you need to write comments:

1)one relation between societal beliefs today and the poor laws is the apprenticeships for children in order to give them skills to work so they don’t end up poor like their parents. This could relate to child welfare programs today that are in place to keep kids healthy and able to go to school even when their parents can’t provide for them. This could also relate to foster homes. When parents can’t provide children are put into other homes to live. Grants-in-aid also relates to welfare and programs that support things like people with disabilities, or mental illnesses and is another example of a reoccurring theme in social work and policy. 

There is also a recurring theme of philanthropy and charity. Christan values emphasized giving back to those with less and having no judgement of the poor, which is still true in today’s society but goes beyond religion. We are taught that happiness and fulfillment come from giving to those who can do nothing for you. In history and today, we are taught to accept and help those less fortunate. However, there is a reoccurring idea of who is deserving and not deserving. The media and people in general talk about people who “abuse the system.” There is always a debate of who qualifies as poor and what circumstances are in control of the individual or what are not. When comparing the poor laws with todays social work policies and what is talked about in the media, we see that there are numerous reoccurring themes.

2)Elizabeth Poor Laws can be defined as three types of individuals (Children, The able-bodied, and The incapacitated). As for the Children, Children is always viewed as worthy poor. Born in a poor situation is not the Children’s faults and it is more likely their parent’s fault (lacked work ethic or lacked industry). Also, Children is related to an apprenticeship. The State steps in and helps Children. So, Children is not in the same poverty situation as their poor parents in the future. The incapacitated groups are considered as people with disabilities, mental illness, people who are injured from the workplace, people who are old and retire (elders). So, the poverty and poor situation (societal beliefs) for the incapacitated people are not their own fault. Moreover, The able-bodied groups are considered as the people who are in the working age and physically and mentally healthy. So, the able-bodied groups of people’s poverty situation societal beliefs are considered as lacked work ethics and moral failing. The only solution for the able-bodied group is working and find the job. 

Furthermore, I can think of the current American health care system can be related to the Children’s situation that mentioned in the Elizabeth Poor Laws. As for the American health care system, the majority of people have to get a private insurance plan. It means that the U.S. health care system is not a uniform health care system. So, if the children born from poor parents, sometimes they cannot go to the hospital even though they are injured or very sick because their parents cannot afford for the expensive private insurance plan. The parents might join the Medicaid program but not every family can qualify for the Medicaid because of their income and family size difference and also the eligibility for the Medicaid can work different from different states.