Poor Relief and English Economic Development: A Renewed Plea for Comparative History

Abstract

Responds to a commentary by Steve King in this issue of 'Economic History Review' to a previous article by the author. King's research into poor relief in northern regions of England is valuable and indicates the need for more work, but his contribution does not challenge the earlier emphasis on contrasting England's rule-based system of poor relief with the more dire situation frequently obtaining in countries of continental Europe.