Poor-relief system

Japanese: 救貧制度 - きゅうひんせいど（英語表記）poor-relief system

The term refers to systems that provide state assistance to the socially poor who cannot support themselves. Since the Poor Law was established in England in 1601, it has a long history in Western countries. However, the concept of poverty has changed over time. In England in the Middle Ages, the Christian spirit was the basis for emphasizing the duty of the wealthy to show charity to the poor. In contrast, Puritanism, which advocated self-reliance and self-help and became the ideal for building modern society, and subsequent ideologies, on the other hand, despised poverty and emphasized the obligation to work, and the poor and homeless were placed in vocational schools, which were one of the poor relief systems, and forced to work. The phenomenon of mass unemployment caused by repeated depressions from the mid-19th century to the beginning of the 20th century made people realize that poverty is caused by the social structure rather than by individuals. Each country considers poverty prevention and relief to be a national duty and has established a wide variety of systems. Japan's Public Assistance Act is based on the principle of non-discrimination and equality and aims to guarantee the minimum standard of living for its citizens.

Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica Concise Encyclopedia About Encyclopaedia Britannica Concise Encyclopedia Information

Japanese:

自立できない社会的貧窮者に国家的援助を与える諸制度をいう。 1601年イギリスに救貧法が制定されて以来，欧米各国では長い歴史をもつ。しかし貧困に対する観念は各時代によって変化した。イギリスでは，中世においては，キリスト教精神に依拠して有産者の貧困者に対する慈善の義務が強調された。これに反して，自立，自助を説き近代社会の構築の理念となったピューリタニズムやその後の思想においては，逆に貧困が軽蔑され労働の義務が強調されて，貧困者や浮浪人は救貧制度の一つである授産所に入れられ，強制労働が加えられた。 19世紀中葉から 20世紀に入ってたび重なる恐慌などによる大量の失業現象は，貧困が個人よりも社会構造に原因があることを人々に認識させた。各国は防貧や救貧を国家的義務と考え，多種多様な制度を設けている。日本における生活保護法は無差別平等の原則に依拠して国民の最低生活の保障を目指している。

出典　ブリタニカ国際大百科事典小項目事典ブリタニカ国際大百科事典小項目事典について　情報

<<: Poor Law - Kyuhinho

>>: The Nine Ranks of Officials Law (English: Jiu-pin-guan-ren-fa; Chiu-p`in-kuan-jên-fa)