Book of Murder facts for kids
The Book of Murder, also known as the Marcus Affair, was a special kind of writing called propaganda. It was created in the 1830s to speak out against the English Poor Laws in England. This book was supposedly written by someone using the fake name "Marcus" and was published by Joshua Hobson. Its main goal was to encourage people to oppose the Poor Law Amendment Act 1834.
Contents
What Was the Poor Law Amendment Act?
Before the Poor Law Amendment Act 1834, poor people could get "outdoor relief." This meant they received money or goods while living in their own homes. The new law changed this to "indoor relief." This meant that workhouses were built. These were places where poor people had to live to get shelter and basic food.
Why Was the Book of Murder Written?
The Book of Murder was written to make people angry about these changes. It suggested that the new Poor Law was a cruel plan. The book claimed that the Poor Law Commissioners, who made the rules, wanted to reduce the number of poor people. They were said to have ideas similar to Thomas Malthus. He believed that too many people would lead to poverty.
How Did the Book Spread Its Message?
The anti-Poor Law campaign claimed that copies of the original pamphlet were being hidden. One of the first people to use the "Marcus" pamphlet to spread these ideas was Reverend Joseph Rayner Stephens. He was a speaker who traveled across the country. He often talked about the supposed plan against the poor.
The books were also published by the Chartist leader Feargus O'Connor. He printed them in his newspaper, the Northern Star. This helped the ideas reach many more people.
See also
- A Modest Proposal by Jonathan Swift, a famous satirical essay. It humorously suggests extreme solutions to poverty.
