Figure 1.--The Industrial Revolution transformed society and Britain was the first country to be affected. And those changes are primarily described in the burgeoning cities. One aspect of this was a nostallgic feeling for the simple rural life. This painting, 'The Hay wain' (1821) by John Constable (1776-1837) expresses this feeling. Many other romantic painters, objecting to industrial change, painted similar works. It is undeniably great work of art, but creates an idelic vision of agrarian Bruitain that never was asd certainly did not exist at the time. Most English people, including the chiuldren, did not own land and toiled on estates with minimal wages and living in pitiful hovels. There was, no chance for schooling or advancement. In addition, land owners were consolidating their holdings making it impossible for small holders to make a living, a process known as Enclosure. They were also expelling many tennts whose labor was no longer needed. This led to unrest in the countryside. All of this Constablechose to ignore. Rather every aspect of the painting (the cozy cottage, the clouds float lazily, the choice of colors, the unhurried man and horses, and the inviting landscaspe) convey an inviting peace and tranquility. An art historian writes, "I absolutely love this painting. Beyond the technical skills of the artist, the work of art depicts such a peaceful and tranquil scene. I really love the ambience of the simple and old-fashioned country life that Constable was able to create. This paintings gives me such a nostalgic and wistful feeling, yearning for pre-Industrial Revolution times." That is just what Constable was seeking to convey. It was not, however, an accurate depiction of agraian Britain at the time.

Public housing relates to governmental efforts to house low-income people. It became a societal issue in Victorian England as the country industrialized and people moved to the cities seeking factory jobs. As a result slums developed because many of these workers were unable to afford decent housing. As the problem was first reported during Victorian times, the natural assumption was that this was a new an novel problem, the direct result of capitalism and the industrial revolution. The situation was more complicated. The issue was first reported as a social issue in Victorian times because the Industrial Revolution wa snot only creating an industrial proleterit, but agreatly expanded middle-class which fortghe first time saw matterslike slums abd child labor as a social problem. There is also a tendency to think that the rural population lived an idelic life of neat thatched roofed houses, flower gardens, and healthy meals. This was simply not the case. In fact almshouses existed in medieval times for 'the poor andduistrressed' (10th century) But whether or not housing was a new issue, it is undeniable that housing was a real social issue. The first effort ofindustrial Britaon to deal with issue of the destitute was the Work House (1830s). At first, public policy was dominated by laissez-faire economics, a reaction to the extensive state authorized monopolies and control during the mercantilist era. Reformers led by the Liberal Party began to promote public housing for the poor. There were some preliminary steps (1890s), but major efforts only began after World War I. The policy became known as 'homes fit for heroes' (1919). [Hanley, p. 60.] This lead to the beginning of slum clearance. The Government set standards to ensure high quality homes. Labour advocasted a more expansive effort. Aneurin Bevan spoke passionately about council (muncipal) houses which should be provided for everyfamily. Conservative politician Harold Macmillan saw council housing in a different light, 'as a stepping stone to home ownership'. [Hanley, p. 92.] After World II and theLabour victory in the 1945 General Election, significant resources began to be directed at various public housing plans. Public housing came to provide most of the rental housing in Britain until 2011. Houses built for public or social housing use wer built by or for local (municipal) authorities meaning councils and were refered to as council houses. These houses were built on council estates, where the council provided other amenities, like schools and shops. Blocks of flats and three- or four-story blocks of maisonettes were widely built. There were also mixed estates. The Labour government of Harold Wilson built houses and aprments in massive numbers, including some emassive high rise apartment buildings. Eventually Britain had as housing surplus (late-1960s). The Conservative government of Margaret Thatcher began a process of privitization. Some councils were eventually put in the poisition of having to rent back their own houses to house the homeless. The Thastcher Government introduced the Right to Buy scheme (1979). The millionth council house was sold within 7 years. [Hanley, pp. 134-35.]

Definition

Public housing relates to governmental efforts to house low-income people. It became a societal issue in Victorian England as the country industrialized and people moved to the cities seeking factory jobs. As a result slums developed because many of these workers were unable to afford decent housing.

Historical Background

As the problem was first reported during Victorian times, the natural assumption was that this was a new an novel problem, the direct result of capitalism and the industrial revolution. The situation was more complicated. The issue was first reported as a social issue in Victorian times because the Industrial Revolution wa snot only creating an industrial proleterit, but agreatly expanded middle-class which fortghe first time saw matterslike slums abd child labor as a social problem. There is also a tendency to think that the rural population lived an idelic life of neat thatched roofed houses, flower gardens, and healthy meals. This was simply not the case. In fact almshouses existed in medieval times for 'the poor and distrressed' (10th century). The idea that rural people left wonderrful living conditions and housing in the countryside is absdurd.

Industrial Revolution

A British reader tells us, "Even though we think much of the housing stock built at the beginning of the Industrial revolution was sub-standard and shoddy, jerry built. At the time it was thought to be far superior to the rural homes the agricultural workers had left behind. The floor was flagged. The house was dryer and there was at least two bedrooms. An upstairs and a downstairs, a scullery and the room was spacious was spacious." [Fergusson] Whether or not housing was a new issue, it is undeniable that housing was a real social issue. Accounts at the time, however, do clearly described apauling conditions in the new industrial cities. Manchester seems to have been even worse than London. It should be stressed that the actual structures were not the heart of the problem, but theoverrcrowding andespecilly the lack of basic sanitation, even sewers. One author writes, "Manchester was the gretest of the industril cities and the prototype of the early industrial environment--'the shock city of the Indusdtrial Revolution'. .... At the center of Britain's cotton industry, was busy, productive, and noisy, humming with thousands of spindlesin great smoky mills. It was also croded amd largely without pabing, seawage, or water supply for its working-class denizens, Built at the junction of three rivers (the Irwell, the Irk, and the Medlock, all of which had turned oily black from pollution), Manchester became a jungle of narrow, filthy, cramped streets and alleys." [Heyck, p. 277.] The first effort of industrial Britain to deal with issue of the destitute was the Work House (1830s). At first, public policy was dominated by laissez-faire economics, a reaction to the extensive state authorized monopolies and control during the mercantilist era. Throughout the19th century, houses were built by private contractors.

Liberal Reforms and Debate

Reformers led by the Liberal Party began to promote public housing for the poor. There were some preliminary steps (1890s), but major efforts only began after World War I. The policy became known as 'homes fit for heroes' (1919). [Hanley, p. 60.] This lead to the beginning of slum clearance. The Government set standards to ensure high quality homes. Labour advocasted a more expansive effort. Aneurin Bevan spoke passionately about council (muncipal) houses which should be provided for everyfamily. Conservative politician Harold Macmillan saw council housing in a different light, 'as a stepping stone to home ownership'. [Hanley, p. 92.]

Labour Program

Labour won the debate over public housing as part of their overwheaming victory in the 1945 General Election. Labour with its huge parlimentary majority committed significant resources to a series of public housing plans. This was to an extent necessary because labor economic policies prevented the ecvomomy to recover after the War like other Western Europen countries. Workers could just not afford decent housing because of the economic malize. Public housing came to provide most of the rental housing in Britain until 2011. Houses built for public or social housing use wer built by or for local (municipal) authorities meaning councils and were refered to as council houses. These houses were built on council estates, where the council provided other amenities, like schools and shops. Blocks of flats and three- or four-story blocks of maisonettes were widely built. There were also mixed estates. We see council estates that seem to be plesant places and others where the houses were shodily built. A HBC reader provides some information about his experiences in Blackburn. The Labour government of Harold Wilson built houses and aprments in massive numbers, including som emassive high rise apartment buildings. Eventually Britain had as housing surplus (late-1960s). The high rises proved to be disasters and had to be torn down.

Thatcherite Privitization

The Conservative government of Margaret Thatcher began a process of privitization. Some councils were eventually put in the poisition of having to rent back their own houses to house the homeless. The Thastcher Government introduced the Right to Buy scheme (1979). The millionth council house was sold within 7 years. [Hanley, pp. 134-35.]

Reader Comment

An American readerwrites, "Public housing in the United States never seemed to work out. Like any other entitlement it was ripe for abuses. Like Britain it was supposed to be a road to betterment, but instead like welfare it became a way of life. We had many housing projects in Philadelphia where I live, mostly high rise, and they were hell holes that bred crime, drugs and violence. When I drove a cab in the early-1970s I would avoid those places like the plague. Picking up or dropping off in the projects was a recipe for robbery, assault, or worse. The high rises have been torn down and have been rebuilt as town houses." One other American reader writes, "Another American approach was rent control which sounds nice. The impact of rent controll, however, was to prevent private investors from building, thus creating a housing shortage."

Sources

Ferguson, William. E-mail message (February 4, 2019).

Hanley, Lynsey. (2012). Estates : An Intimate History (Granta: 2012).

Heyck, Thomas William. The Peoples of the British IslesL: A New History from 1688 to 1870 ( Wadswort: Belmont, California, 1992), 415p.

Created: 9:30 AM 2/3/2019
Last updated: 9:30 AM 2/3/2019