Causes of poverty
Elizabethan England often conjures images of the Royal Court with splendid costumes, banquets and extravagant entertainment. But for many people life was very different. During the 16th Century the population rose dramatically and this, added to other economic pressures, meant that an increasing number of people were unable to support themselves. As the standard of living dropped, the problem of vagrancy worsened and this was to have repercussions for the country as a whole.
Elizabeth's government set about tackling this problem, and introduced a series of Acts which acknowledged that the care of the poor was now the community's responsibility, and that each citizen had to play his part. In this respect the Poor Laws were progressive for their time, and established a framework which lasted for many years. But what was everyday life like for the poor, and what impact did their presence have on our towns and villages?
'As the standard of living dropped, the problem of vagrancy worsened...'
There were several reasons for this increase in poverty. During the reign of Elizabeth I, the population rose from three to four million people. This increase was primarily due to a rise in fertility and a falling death rate and meant, in simple terms, that the country's resources now had to be shared by a greater number of people. Added to this was the problem of rising prices. In the last years of his reign, Henry VIII had debased the coinage which meant that the proportion of gold and silver in the coins was reduced. In 1560 Elizabeth's government took steps to remedy this by replacing all debased coins with new ones, thus restoring the country's currency to its proper levels. This move served to combat the problem of inflation in the early years of her reign.
Published: 2001-05-01
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