ABSTRACT
ThispaperwillexaminethecritiqueofCharlesBooth'sstudyofLondonbythe leadersofthecharityorganisationmovement,acritiquewhichRowntree's studysought,inpart,toanswer.Theargumentthatthereisnosuchthingas 'poverty',onlysocialinefficiency,willbeexaminedthroughthewritingsofits principalproponents,andRowntree'ssuccessincounteringitthroughhisown conceptualisationofpovertyasascientificallymeasurablephenomenonwillbe assessed.Theimplicationsofthisdebateforthemodernstudyofpoverty,and thereasonsforitspersistenceover100years,willthenbeconsidered.
