This book is an examination of early modern English almshouses in the 'mixed economy' of welfare. Drawing on archival evidence from three contrasting counties - Durham, Warwickshire and Kent - between 1550 and 1725, the book assesses the contribution almshouses made within the developing welfare...

The state of poverty in the United States and Western Europe: five theoretical approaches seeking to explain the variance -- The challenge to America -- The historical experience -- Attitudes, beliefs, and values -- System differences as explanations -- The role of political elites -- The role...

Young women and work -- Earning a living : daughters and the family economy -- Entering employment -- Mobility, migration, and aspiration -- Work culture -- "Frivolous" workers? : trade unionism and militancy -- Beyond the workplace : leisure and courtship