Oct 13, 2023
Just read that, in the early 18th century, labouring poor families living hand-to-mouth through a variety of casual, seasonal work, charity and a small amount of “parish relief” (“Poor Relief” in 18th century Britain was the the equivalent of social security, still primarily provided as “outdoor relief” in people’s own homes in that period, but paid on a local basis collected from the rates paid in each parish) were known as “living in the economy of makeshifts”.
And fucking hell, if that isn’t a far better description of the way so many people are living right now than “polywork” or any of the other cutesy euphemisms the right-wing press keep trying to trot out.
