The old poor law and the economic rise of England

Zhe Ming,Benjamin CHOO, University of Cambridge

Abstract

Researchers in the field of social protection are often confronted with the argument that social protection is a luxury that only rich nations can afford. But according to Simon Szreter, professor of history and public policy at the University of Cambridge, social security played a key role in driving the world's first case of economic development - the economic rise of England from 1600-1800.

Simon's arguments are presented in this cartoon, which was produced by Optix (www.optix.ae), an international full-service creative agency, and written and directed by Simon's former student and teaching assistant, Benjamin Choo.