home
***
CD-ROM
|
disk
|
FTP
|
other
***
search
/
The Epic Interactive Encyclopedia 1998
/
Epic Interactive Encyclopedia, The - 1998 Edition (1998)(Epic Marketing).iso
/
B
/
Begging
/
INFOTEXT
< prev
Wrap
Text File
|
1992-09-03
|
791b
|
20 lines
Soliciting, usually for money and food.
It is prohibited in many Western countries
and stringent measures are taken against
begging in the USSR. In the Middle East and
Asia, almsgiving is often considered
a religious obligation. Begging is illegal in
Britain; legislation began in the 14th
century, and it is an offence to solicit alms
on the public highway, to expose any sore or
malformation to attract alms, to cause a
child to beg, or to send begging letters
containing false statements. The 1824
Vagrancy Act was introduced to push destitute
veterans of the Napoleonic wars of the
streets of London. In the 1980s it became
increasingly used against young homeless
people. By 1990 there were at least 60
convictions a week under the act and lawyers
had begun to campaign for its repeal.