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George R. Boyer (born c. 1954) is Professor of Labor Economics in the School of Industrial and Labor Relations at Cornell University. He is best known for his work in the field of economic history, and in particular his research on the English poor laws of the 18th and 19th centuries.
Boyer received a B.A. in economics and history from the College of William and Mary in 1976 and a Ph.D. in economics from the University of Wisconsin in 1982. [1]
Boyer has been a faculty member in Cornell University's School of Industrial and Labor Relations since 1982. He has also been a visiting professor in the Department of Economics at the University of Essex. [2]
Boyer is associate editor of the Industrial and Labor Relations Review and has been a member of the editorial boards of the Journal of Economic History and of Social Science History . [3]
Boyer is arguably best known for his extensive research on the English poor laws, culminating in his 1990 book, An Economic History of the English Poor Law, 1750-1850 (published by Cambridge University Press).
Using tools and concepts from economics, Boyer explores in his book the political motivation for the adoption of poor laws in 18th century England, the geographic variation in poor relief administered during that period, and the demographic impacts of these laws. The book challenges many previously held beliefs about poor laws, and argues that the adoption of such laws was a rational response to changing conditions in agricultural England at the time.
In a review of the book published in the Journal of Economic Literature , [4] Martha Olney observes that "Boyer follows the methodological precepts of what has long since stopped being the "new" economic history: explicit theorizing subjected to empirical testing with historical data" (page 1535). While Olney cautions that "it is unclear whether his results will stand up to the poking and prodding his models' assumptions call for" (page 1535-1536), she nonetheless argues that "Boyer has written a commendable book" (page 1535) and that "any student of contemporary or historical systems of poor relief is well advised to place this book near the top of her required reading" (page 1536).
In another review of the book published in the American Journal of Legal History , [5] James W. Ely, Jr. notes that, "In his carefully reasoned monograph, George R. Boyer provides an economic assessment of the poor laws before 1834 and offers an revisionist account of relief policy" (page 340). While Ely highlights some shortcomings in the text, he concludes that "Boyer has authored a provocative work which contributes to the rich literature on the English poor laws. His economic analysis will be helpful to the study of English poor relief policies" (page 342).
In addition to his book on the subject, Boyer has written articles on various aspects of English poor relief in economics and history journals including the Journal of Political Economy , the Journal of Economic History , and Explorations in Economic History .
In more recent work, Boyer is exploring the evolution of social welfare policies in the UK in the 19th and 20th centuries. [6]
Knights of Labor, officially Noble and Holy Order of the Knights of Labor, was an American labor federation active in the late 19th century, especially the 1880s. It operated in the United States as well in Canada, and had chapters also in Great Britain and Australia. Its most important leader was Terence V. Powderly. The Knights promoted the social and cultural uplift of the working man, and demanded the eight-hour day. In some cases it acted as a labor union, negotiating with employers, but it was never well organized or funded. It was notable in its ambition to organize across lines of gender and race and in the inclusion of both skilled and unskilled labor. After a rapid expansion in the mid-1880s, it suddenly lost its new members and became a small operation again.
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The Poor Law Amendment Act 1834 (PLAA) known widely as the New Poor Law, was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom passed by the Whig government of Earl Grey. It completely replaced earlier legislation based on the Poor Law of 1601 and attempted to fundamentally change the poverty relief system in England and Wales. It resulted from the 1832 Royal Commission into the Operation of the Poor Laws, which included Edwin Chadwick, John Bird Sumner and Nassau William Senior. Chadwick was dissatisfied with the law that resulted from his report. The Act was passed two years after the 1832 Reform Act extended the franchise to middle class men. Some historians have argued that this was a major factor in the PLAA being passed.
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