Devon Commission

Devon Commission. The Devon Commission, also known as the Commission of Inquiry into the State of the Poor in Ireland, was established in 1843 by Robert Peel's Conservative Party (UK) government to investigate the state of the Poor Law (Ireland) and the living conditions of the poor in Ireland. This commission was a response to the growing concerns about the poverty and destitution in Ireland, which was exacerbated by the Irish Potato Famine and the Repeal Association's efforts led by Daniel O'Connell to repeal the Acts of Union 1800. The commission's work was influenced by the ideas of Thomas Malthus, David Ricardo, and Jeremy Bentham, who were prominent figures in the development of Classical economics and the Utilitarianism movement.

● Introduction

The Devon Commission was established in 1843, with Lord Devon as its chairman, to investigate the state of the poor in Ireland and to provide recommendations for improving their living conditions. The commission's members included Charles Trevelyan, who was the Assistant Secretary to the Treasury, and other notable figures such as George Nicholls (poor law reformer) and Michael Sadler. The commission's work was influenced by the Royal Commission on the Poor Law, which was established in 1832 to investigate the state of the poor in England and Wales. The Devon Commission's findings were also influenced by the work of Friedrich Engels, who wrote about the living conditions of the working class in The Condition of the Working Class in England, and Karl Marx, who wrote about the Economic determinism and the Class struggle.

● Background

The Devon Commission was established against the backdrop of the Irish Potato Famine, which was a major humanitarian crisis that affected Ireland from 1845 to 1852. The famine was caused by the failure of the potato crop, which was the primary food source for the majority of the population in Ireland. The famine led to widespread poverty, destitution, and starvation, and it had a significant impact on the population of Ireland, with estimates suggesting that over one million people died as a result of the famine. The commission's work was also influenced by the Repeal Association's efforts to repeal the Acts of Union 1800, which had united Great Britain and Ireland under a single government. The association's leader, Daniel O'Connell, was a key figure in the movement, and his efforts were supported by other notable figures such as Charles Stewart Parnell and Isaac Butt.

● The Commission's Findings

The Devon Commission's findings were published in a series of reports, which highlighted the poverty and destitution in Ireland and made recommendations for improving the living conditions of the poor. The commission's reports were influenced by the work of Charles Booth (social reformer), who wrote about the living conditions of the poor in London, and Seebohm Rowntree, who wrote about the poverty in York. The commission's findings were also influenced by the ideas of John Stuart Mill, who wrote about the Principle of utility and the Harm principle, and Herbert Spencer, who wrote about the Social Darwinism and the Laissez-faire economics. The commission's reports were widely read and influenced the development of the Poor Law (Ireland) and the Local Government (Ireland) Act 1898.

● Recommendations and Impact

The Devon Commission's recommendations had a significant impact on the development of the Poor Law (Ireland) and the Local Government (Ireland) Act 1898. The commission's recommendations included the establishment of a system of Workhouses, which would provide relief to the poor and destitute, and the introduction of a system of Outdoor relief, which would provide assistance to those who were unable to work. The commission's recommendations were influenced by the work of Edwin Chadwick, who wrote about the Sanitary reform and the Public health movement, and Florence Nightingale, who wrote about the Nursing profession and the Statistics of public health. The commission's recommendations were also influenced by the ideas of Henry George, who wrote about the Land reform and the Single tax, and William Cobbett, who wrote about the Agricultural reform and the Rural poverty.

● Legacy and Criticism

The Devon Commission's legacy is complex and has been the subject of much debate and criticism. Some historians, such as Cecil Woodham-Smith, have argued that the commission's recommendations were inadequate and failed to address the root causes of poverty in Ireland. Others, such as Eric Hobsbawm, have argued that the commission's work was influenced by the Classical economics and the Utilitarianism movement, which prioritized the interests of the wealthy and powerful over those of the poor and vulnerable. The commission's work has also been criticized by Marxist historians, such as Christopher Hill (historian), who have argued that the commission's recommendations were designed to maintain the power and privilege of the Ruling class and to suppress the Working class movement. Despite these criticisms, the Devon Commission's work remains an important part of the history of Ireland and the development of the Poor Law (Ireland) and the Local Government (Ireland) Act 1898. Category:Commissions in the United Kingdom