John Acland (c.1729 – 14 August 1795), was a Church of England clergyman and an author of a pamphlet on poor law reform which foresaw a system of national insurance.
[2] In 1786 Acland published A Plan for rendering the Poor independent on Public Contributions, founded on the basis of the Friendly Societies, commonly called Clubs, by the Rev.
He proposed that ‘there should be established, by the authority of parliament, throughout the whole of the kingdom of England, one general club or society’ for the support of the poor in sickness, in old age, and when out of work.
With certain exceptions, every adult male or female receiving a certain wage was to be compelled to contribute to this fund, and a similar obligation was imposed on the bulk of the community.
[5] Of a second pamphlet by Acland, in refutation of Edward King's attempt to prove the public utility of the national debt, the "Gentleman's Magazine" for November 1796 contains a brief and approving notice.