The Role Of Poverty In The Age Of Enlightenment And The Industrial Revolution

Second, during the Age of Enlightenment and the Industrial Revolution, the Roman Catholic Church’s approach to the issue of poverty shifted to include institutions and church-run programs in delivering charity. This shift, evident in a variety of sectors, was advantageous as it allowed more control and efficiency in the delivery of poor relief. For example, “the Quebec model, in which the church rather than the state provided social services, included an array of institutions from schools and hospitals to shelters for the poor, foundlings, prostitutes, and the aged (Hick, 2014, p. 36). Although the Roman Catholic Church was still the primary giver of poor relief in Quebec, institutions helped to provide relief during this era. The Roman Catholic …show more content…
They changed with time, and the opinions of different religious orders could be at variance” (Pullan, 2005, p. 441). The Roman Catholic Church’s approach in addressing poverty considerably transformed throughout history. Prior to and during the Reformation, the Church delivered poor relief based on the principle of caritas. The idea of charity was still prominent throughout the Age of Enlightenment and the Industrial Revolution, however assistance shifted to include more structured programs delivered through institutions like hospitals. Although the Roman Catholic Church initially resisted the creation of the welfare state, they did eventually accept government intervention without completely surrendering their ability to provide assistance. Historically, the Catholic church faced many challenges and obstacles in delivering assistance to the poor. However, the Catholic commitment to compassion and charity allowed for an overall success. There are advantages and disadvantages to both church-run and state-run social programs. Therefore, it is beneficial for individuals to study and understand the history associated with the birth of state-run social welfare as one can learn from the difficulties that the Roman Catholic Church experienced. Social, political, and economic changes continually affect society, forcing social assistance programs to change accordingly. Since creating and delivering effective social programs is challenging, state-run programs constantly undergo reform. Today, the government plays the primary role in structuring and delivering social assistance. The success of the government in this matter affects all in society, especially those experiencing poverty. Regardless of whether one supports church-run or state-run programs, individuals must ensure that they give sufficient aid to the impoverished and those needing