PAUPERISM (from La t. pa epee, poor). The eondition of those who are partly or wholly dependent upon private charity or public aid for support. Technically, in law, a pauper is a per son supported by the public authorities, at the expense of taxpayers. In its broadest meaning the term pauperism should not be used synony mously with poverty, or even with occasional acceptance of relief, but only to designate a state of chronic dependence. Pauperism is possible only in communities where extreme poverty and surplus wealth exist together, and in combina tion with a prevailing sentiment of pity. In primitive communities, where pity is lacking and the means of subsistence are often inade the hopelessly ill and the aged as well as the irredeemably lazy starve or are put to death.
In barbarian societies, where pity is still lack ing, although some accumulations of wealth have appeared, weak or deformed children are com monly dispatched, while the aged receive scant consideration.
Chief among the more important causes of destitution in civilization are improvidence, sickness, accident, death of the head of the family, and old age. Charles Booth's investiga tions of English pauperism have shown that old age is, all in all, the chief cause. Destitution, however, may exist, and yet pauperism be averted through a wise administration of private agencies of relief. Destitution at one end of the social scale, abundant means in the hands of kindly disposed but thoughtless givers at the other end, and sentimentality in public admin istration being given, destitution is rapidly con verted into pauperism. In general, we may say that improvidence. sickness, or other misfortune, and old age, are the causes of destitution, and that an unwise dealing with destitution is the great cause of pauperism.