For a long time charity was regarded one of the best solutions to minimize effects of poverty and to give relief to needy. Individuals as well as institutions undertook the task to distribute it among those who needed it badly. It was considered religious and social responsibility to lessen the burden of impoverishment. During the Sultanate period, Firuz Tughluq (1351-1388) institutionalized charity and established a separate department that provided dowry to poor girls and financial assistance to destitute people. It was an old tradition to establish Alms houses( Langar khana), where poor people could get free food. Mughal Emperors founded such houses throughout the Empire at state expense.

Such houses increased in the time famine or drought. Akbar (1556-1605) built such houses at Fathpur for poor Muslims and Hindus. They were known as Khairpura and Dharampura.A large number of jogis began to come to the capital when they smelled free food. A separate house was built for them know as Jogipura.  Jahangir (1605-1627) during his reign built such houses at Ahmadabad,Allahabad,Lahore, Delhi and Agra. These houses were known as Bulgharkahan (place for the distribution of cooked food for the poor).

Besides these institutions of charity, there were some social and religious practices to give alms to poor. For example, at the time of festivals or celebration a try full of silver and gold coins moved around the head of a noble or emperor and then the money was distributed among poor. The ceremony was called Nisar. It was thought to avert all evils on all occasions. It was also a practice that when emperor or nobles went out in procession for Eid prayer or to visit tombs of saints and his ancestors, he scattered money among crowd of people who assembled to see the procession. Scattering of money in India was regarded an act of generosity.

Once Akbar thought a new way to distribute money among poor. He filled a tank called Anuptalao at Fathpur with coins that were distributed among poor.Abul Fazl writes:”There was a reservoir in the court yard of the palace at Fathpur, twenty gaz long by twenty broad and three gaz deep. This he caused to be filled with red, white, and black money (i.e. gold, silver, and copper),” However, on the first day there was such a crowd that number of people were stamped. On seeing it Akbar decided to abandon this practice.

On the other hand to handle the problem of poverty was different in England. During the Tudor period 1485-1603), there emerged a new phenomenon of beggars known as ‘ sturdy beggars’ as a result of unemployment, dismissal of soldiers from the French wars and the war of Roses, deforestation, and system of enclosures that deprived poor peasants to cultivate wasteland. They became a menace to the English society as they wandered in the countryside in groups and knocked doors for alms. To solve this problem, the government passed number of Poor Bills to provide relief to the needy people. The cost of relief was to be met by voluntary subscribers and Parish was to administer it. Next, the government decided to set up workhouses to discourage the poor to beg and to rely on relief. In 1723 Workhouse Test Act was passed which required poor to enter it and work there. In another Act of 1834 outdoor relief was withdrawn and they were forced to live in workhouses. Life in these workhouses was harsh and environments were unpleasant. There was no respect for family as husbands and wives and children were separated with each other strict discipline was observed. Meals had to be eaten in silence. Diet was sparse. Job was also provided to the inmates such as stone breaking, bone grinding and picking old rope to pieces. Charles Dickens in his novels graphically depicts the condition of these workhouses. One Historian writes:” There was a famous scandal in Andover workhouse when the inmates, working on bones-crushing were so hungry that they were found to be eating rotten marrow and fat from the bones. No wonder, workhouses became known among the workers as Bastilles (after the notorious fortress-prison in Paris),” Condition of workhouses improved as result of public pressure during 1850s. However, their image persisted among the poor who regarded these houses unpleasant to live. By the passage of time Poor laws were replaced by series of new institutions, which provided relief to poor people either by state institutions or charity foundations.

There is important difference between individuals and institutional charity. In case of individual, it lasts only during his lifetime, while institution functions for generation after generation, if it is maintained properly. Moreover. If an individual helps, the receiver personally obliges to his benefactor. The alms-giver assumes arrogance and makes an attempt to use it for his social and political motives or for his personal glory. In case of institution there is no such thing. Contributors to such institutions mostly remain anonymous. So, institutional help keeps dignity of a receiver. In the democratic system it is a right of citizens to demand from state and its institutions to take care of them; therefore such steps should be taken that he would not extend his hand to a fellow citizen and beg for his maintenance.