以下是一段关於Speenhamland System的内容以及自己试译 有些语句不通或者怪怪的地方希望能一起讨论 The Speenhamland System was a method of giving relief to the poor, based on the price of bread and the number of children a man had. It further complicated the 1601 Elizabethan Poor Law because it allowed the able-bodied - those who were able to work - to draw on the poor rates. It was set up in the Berkshire village of Speen by local magistrates who held a meeting at the Pelican Inn on 6 May 1795. They felt that 'the present state of the poor law requires further assistance than has generally been given them'. A series of bad harvests had put wheat in short supply and consequently the price of bread had risen sharply. The situation was made worse by the growing population and because of the French Wars. This meant that grain could not be imported from Europe. Things were so bad that famine was a distinct possibility and there was a fear among the ruling classes that the lower orders might be tempted to emulate the French, and revolt. There had been a spate of food riots in the spring of 1795. 史宾汉连制是一项以面包价格以及孩子数量为基础的缓和穷人负担的方法。由於此法案适 用於有生产能力者，使得穷人法的使用上更加困难。此法案是在1975年的5月6日经由柏克 夏尔村落的地方官员制定。他们觉得现行的穷人法需要更多的补充。一连串的收获淡季使 得小麦的供给短缺并导致面包价格的急速攀升。此情况也因为扩张的人口以及法国战争而 更加恶化。因为这意味着英国无法从欧洲进口粮食。而更糟糕的是逐渐严重的饥荒问题以 及统治阶级们对底层人民可能造反的恐惧，就像在法国发生的那样。在1975年的春天英国 面临严重的粮食问题。 －－－－－－－－－－－－－－－ 最後一句单独放怎麽看都很奇怪，不知道该怎麽让他变得更融入这段内文里面。 －－－－－－－－－－－－－－－ The magistrates decided to bring in an allowance scale. The idea was that a labourer would have his income supplemented to subsistence level by the parish: a type of 'top-up' on very low wages. The magistrates also suggested that farmers and other employers should increase the wages of their employees, but this latter idea met with little success. The idea of these allowances spread rapidly in the south of England and it is thought that the system saved many families from starvation. Although this method of poor relief was not a national system it was particularly common in the so-called 'Swing' counties. However, as time passed, contemporary writers, such as Thomas Malthus, said that the system tended to increase the population because it encouraged labourers to marry earlier than they might have done; it was also believed that it encouraged couples to have more children so the family could claim on the poor rates. 地方官员们制订了一项补贴制度。这项制度使得劳工们可以获得地方的收入津贴达到其能 维持生存的条件，也就是所谓的"加薪"给那些仅得低廉工资者。而这些地方官员们也建议 农人及其他雇主最好增加雇员的工资，但这项提议并无太大成效。这项制度很快地遍行整 个英格兰南部地区并被视为一个拯救许多家庭免於挨饿的方法。尽管这项制度并未扩展至 全国领域，但也在所谓的"摇摆"郡之内普遍实施。然而，经过一段时间後，当代的作家， 例如马尔萨斯认为这项制度会鼓励劳工提早结婚年龄且生育更多小孩以达到获得补贴的标 准，进而导致人口的增长。 －－－－－－－－－－－ 第三行里面的top-up字典查到为"追加的贷款"在这边试译作"加薪"，但还是觉得有更好的 中文词对应。 'Swing' counties应该就是我们中文所说的'中立选区'的概念，但在这段文章中并没有 选区的意思 (当时也还没有选举，而这看起来也不像是对於这项制度的态度）， 有板友对当时英格兰历史比较熟悉的能帮在下解惑吗? －－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－ 感谢~! --

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