The aim of this article is to describe the rise and fall of the workhouse system in connection with the developments that took place in economic thought in the transition from mercantilism to the Classical tradition. By examining the economic debate about wages, efficiency, labor market, workers' mobility, and unemployment, we discuss whether the social policy shift epitomized by institutional reforms like the Gilbert Act (1782), the Rose Act (1793), and the Speenhamland system (1795) was accompanied and eventually inspired by a change in the perception of major political economy issues. In doing so, we review the writings of Jacob Vanderlint (d. 1740), George Berkeley (1685-1753), Malachy Postlethwayt (1707?-1767), Josiah Tucker (1713-1799), David Hume (1711-1776), and Adam Smith (1723-1790), among others. Although a direct influence by these writers cannot be proven, the originality of the present work rests on the effort to put into perspective the arguments elaborated by economic thinkers and the proposals made by social reformers so as to identify possible connections between economic theorizing and social legislation.

Orsi, C. E., THE POLITICAL ECONOMY OF INCLUSION: THE RISE AND FALL OF THE WORKHOUSE SYSTEM, <<JOURNAL OF THE HISTORY OF ECONOMIC THOUGHT>>, 2017; 39 (04): 453-481. [doi:10.1017/S1053837216000249] [http://hdl.handle.net/10807/114217]

THE POLITICAL ECONOMY OF INCLUSION: THE RISE AND FALL OF THE WORKHOUSE SYSTEM

Orsi, Cosma Emilio
2017

Abstract

The aim of this article is to describe the rise and fall of the workhouse system in connection with the developments that took place in economic thought in the transition from mercantilism to the Classical tradition. By examining the economic debate about wages, efficiency, labor market, workers' mobility, and unemployment, we discuss whether the social policy shift epitomized by institutional reforms like the Gilbert Act (1782), the Rose Act (1793), and the Speenhamland system (1795) was accompanied and eventually inspired by a change in the perception of major political economy issues. In doing so, we review the writings of Jacob Vanderlint (d. 1740), George Berkeley (1685-1753), Malachy Postlethwayt (1707?-1767), Josiah Tucker (1713-1799), David Hume (1711-1776), and Adam Smith (1723-1790), among others. Although a direct influence by these writers cannot be proven, the originality of the present work rests on the effort to put into perspective the arguments elaborated by economic thinkers and the proposals made by social reformers so as to identify possible connections between economic theorizing and social legislation.
2017
Inglese
Orsi, C. E., THE POLITICAL ECONOMY OF INCLUSION: THE RISE AND FALL OF THE WORKHOUSE SYSTEM, <<JOURNAL OF THE HISTORY OF ECONOMIC THOUGHT>>, 2017; 39 (04): 453-481. [doi:10.1017/S1053837216000249] [http://hdl.handle.net/10807/114217]
File in questo prodotto:
File Dimensione Formato  
finale jhet 11-09-17.pdf

accesso aperto

Descrizione: Articolo principale
Tipologia file ?: Postprint (versione finale dell’autore successiva alla peer-review)
Licenza: Creative commons
Dimensione 485.32 kB
Formato Adobe PDF
485.32 kB Adobe PDF Visualizza/Apri

I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.

Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/10807/114217
Citazioni
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.pmc??? ND
  • Scopus 3
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.isi??? 3
social impact