Pauperland

by Jeremy Seabrook

Pauperland

Genres: History

288 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 2013

About the author

Jeremy R. Seabrook was an English author and journalist who specialised in social, environmental and development issues. His book The Refuge and the Fortress: Britain and the Flight from Tyranny was longlisted for the Orwell Prize.

Reviews

[Denni · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read the hardback edition (from the library). The title is a bit misleading as, though this is an excellent history of poverty in Britain, with loads of info I didn't know, it is also a fine analysis of where we are--globally--today, with ever increasing consumerism, inequality, and the headlong destruction of our planet that is the result of this. I didn't agree 100% with all of Seabrook's comments, but pretty much so, and many readers might find it--especially towards the end--a bit too preachy (I didn't but I can easily see how this might be the response). And I do wholeheartedly recommend it, both for the history and for the analysis of where we are today and how we got here. There are loads of passages I'd love to quote, but you'll have to read the book.

[Jakub Fiala · Rating 4 out of 5]

Seabrook's work masterfully hovers somewhere between a dense historian's account and a heartfelt sociology essay. This book presents a whole different cosmic view of poverty, and is valuable to the literary world in several distinct ways: First, it gives an overview of changing attitudes towards poverty throughout post-medieval British history. Second, it attempts to collect scarce historical accounts of poverty specifically from outside of the ruling classes. Third, it draws very well-supported continuities between the endlessly discussed poverties of the 18th and 19th centuries, and poverties found in the post-welfare state era. Last, it challenges the pervasive materialistic definitions of poverty and arrives at a much more revolutionary definition itself.

The only drawback of the book is that I feel it may not captivate every reader enough at the beginning, so as to reach the more "juicy" philosophical chapters towards the end.

[Rice Krispies · Rating 5 out of 5]

"The purpose of the poor is to show what happens to economic dissidents in rich societies."

[Brian Jackson · Rating 3 out of 5]

The publisher's summation is an accurate summation of the book. It's an academic read. Although UK-centric and the experiences and conditions are unique, you can see the attitudes by the merchant, academic and political classes reflected in the America. A solid read for anyone who is interested in the topic of the poor and hopefully eye-opening for those willing to actually reflect on the text.