A History of the Scotch Poor Law in Connexion with the Condition of the People

Reprint of the first and only edition. Nicholls [1781-1865] was a pioneering poor-law reformer and administrator. While Great Britain's Poor Law Commissioner he drafted the Irish Poor-Law Act (1832). One of the first to assert that relief bred a culture of dependency and a resistance to work, he advocated the abolition of relief except as a last resort. In addition to the present study, he wrote A History of the English Poor Law (1854-1904) 3 vols., and A History of the Irish Poor Law (1856), both of which are forthcoming (2006) in reprint editions by The Lawbook Exchange, Ltd. Like his other studies, this one relates the evolution of poor laws since the medieval era to economic, social and political history. Notably sophisticated works, they were held in high regard by Sir Leslie Stephen and F.W. Maitland.