Pauperism

[3] In this sense, pauperism is to be distinguished from general poverty or the state of being a poor,[2] although the two concepts overlap.

[2][specify] Statistics dealing with the state of pauperism in this sense convey not the amount of destitution actually prevalent, but the particulars of people in receipt of poor law relief.

Small producers in town faced tough competition from cheap imported goods in England, where industrialization was comparatively superior.

In those regions of Europe where aristocracy was strong and enjoyed privileges, peasants groaned under the burden of hardships.

Poverty in the interwar years (1918–1939) was responsible for several measures which largely killed off the Poor Law system.