Ireland, the Poor, and Machinery

Abstract

From the emigration debates of the decade, it is evident that there were three social issues which presented parliamentarians with particularly difficult policy puzzles. Economists in general appeared equally bemused and divided. The issues were: the continuing misery of Ireland; the burden of unemployment relief under the English Poor Law system; and the incidence of technological unemployment. In the Irish case, the uncertainty was due, in part, to ignorance of prevailing conditions; an ignorance sometimes augmented by strong antipathy to the Irish. In the English case, there were the seeming contradictions in the performance of the economy. Of these latter, Professor Checkland writes:

In terms of capital formation, the development of new skills, and the increase of total output, it was a time of great progress. But in terms of improvement of real wages, though many workers were gaining ground, it is highly doubtful whether the mass of men enjoyed any great material advance. Certain groups suffered heavy direct blows, the prelude to their diminution or eclipse. Prices as a whole fell continuously, except for hectic boom intervals, suggesting in a prima facie way that the system was not reaching its full potential output.¹

My labourers used to eat mutton,

As any great man of the State does;

And now the poor devils are put on

Small rations of tea and potatoes.

But cheer up, John, Sawney, and Paddy,

The King is your father, they say;

So, ev’n if you starve for your Daddy,

’Tis all in the family way.

My rich manufacturers tumble,

My poor ones have nothing to chew;

And, even if themselves do not grumble,

Their stomachs undoubtedly do.

But coolly to fast en famille,

Is as good for the soul as to pray;

And famine itself is genteel,

When one starves in a family way.

Thomas Moore

All in the Family Way: a new pastoral ballad, sung in the character of Britannia