Begging (also known in North America aspanhandling) is the practice of imploring others to grant a favor, often a gift ofmoney, with little or no expectation of reciprocation. A person doing such is called abeggar orpanhandler. Beggars may operate inpublic places such as transport routes, urban parks, and markets. Besides money, they may also ask for food, drink, cigarettes or other small items.
Internet begging is the modern practice of asking people to give money to others via theInternet, rather than in person. Internet begging may encompass requests for help meetingbasic needs such as medical care and shelter, as well as requests for people to pay forvacations,school trips, and other things that the beggar wants but cannot ostensibly afford.[1][2]
Beggars differ from religiousmendicants in that some mendicants do not ask for money. Their subsistence is reciprocated by providing society with various forms ofreligious service,moral education, and preservation ofculture.
Beggars have existed in human society since the dawn of recorded history. Street begging has happened in most societies around the world, though its prevalence and exact form vary.
Ancient Greeks distinguished between thepénēs (Greek: πένης, "active poor") and theptōchós (Greek: πτωχός, "passive poor"). Thepénēs was somebody with a job, only not enough to make a living, while theptōchós depended on others entirely. Theworking poor were accorded a higher social status.[3] TheNew Testament contains several references toJesus' status as the savior of theptochos, usually translated as "the poor", considered the most wretched portion of society. In therich man and Lazarus parable, Lazarus is called 'ptochos' and presented as living in extreme poverty.
A Caveat or Warning for Common Cursitors, vulgarly called vagabonds, was first published in 1566 byThomas Harman. From early modern England, another example isRobert Greene in hisconey-catching pamphlets, the titles of which included "The Defence of Conny-catching," in which he argued there were worse crimes to be found among "reputable" people.The Beggar's Opera is a ballad opera in three acts written in 1728 by John Gay.The Life and Adventures ofBampfylde Moore Carew was first published in 1745. There are similar writers for many European countries in the early modern period.[citation needed]
According toJackson J. Spielvogel, "Poverty was a highly visible problem in the eighteenth century, both in cities and in the countryside... Beggars in Bologna were estimated at 25 percent of the population; in Mainz, figures indicate that 30 percent of the people were beggars or prostitutes... In France and Britain by the end of the century, an estimated 10 percent of the people depended on charity or begging for their food."[4]
The BritishPoor Laws, dating from theRenaissance, placed various restrictions on begging. At various times, begging was restricted to thedisabled. This system developed into theworkhouse, a state-operated institution where those unable to obtain other employment were forced to work in often grim conditions in exchange for a small amount of food. Thewelfare state of the 20th century greatly reduced the number of beggars by directly providing for the necessities of the poor from state funds.
Begging is an age-old social phenomenon inIndia. In the medieval and earlier times begging was considered to be an acceptable occupation which was embraced within the traditionalsocial structure.[5] This system of begging and almsgiving to mendicants and the poor is still widely practiced in India, with over 500,000 beggars in 2015.[6]
In contemporary India, beggars are often stigmatized as undeserving. People often believe that beggars are not destitute and instead call them professional beggars.[vague][7][better source needed] There is a wide perception of begging scams.[8] This view is refuted by grassroots research organizations such as Aashray Adhikar Abhiyan, which claim that beggars and other homeless people are overwhelmingly destitute and vulnerable. Their studies indicate that 99 percent of men and 97 percent of women resort to beggary due to abject poverty, distress migration from rural villages and the unavailability of employment.[9]
After the establishment of theMing dynasty, many farmers and unemployed laborers inBeijing were forced to beg to survive.[10] Begging was especially difficult during Ming times due to high taxes that limited the disposable income of most individuals.[11] Beijing's harsh winters were a difficult challenge for beggars. To avoid freezing to death, some beggars paid porters one copper coin to sleep in their warehouse for the night. Others turned to burying themselves in manure and eatingarsenic to avoid the pain of the cold. Thousands of beggars died of poison and exposure to the elements every year.[10]
Begging was some people's primary occupation. AQing dynasty source states that "professional beggars" were not considered to bedestitute, and as such were not allowed to receive government relief, such as food rations, clothing, and shelter.[12] Beggars would often perform, or train animals to perform, to earn money from passers-by.[11] Although beggars were of low status in Ming, they were considered to have higher social standing than prostitutes, entertainers, runners, and soldiers.[13]
Some individuals capitalized on beggars and became "Beggar Chiefs". Beggar chiefs provided security in the form of food for beggars and in return received a portion of beggars' daily earnings as tribute. Beggar chiefs would often lend their surplus income back to beggars and charge interest, furthering their subjects' dependence on them to the point of near slavery. Although beggar chiefs could acquire significant wealth, they were still looked upon as low-class citizens. The title of beggar chief was often passed down family lines and could stick with an individual through occupational changes.[13]
Many religions have prescribed begging as the only acceptable means of support for certain classes of adherents, includingHinduism,Sufism,Buddhism,Christianity, and typically to provide a way for certain adherents to focus exclusively on spiritual development without the possibility of becoming caught up in worldly affairs.
Religious ideals ofbhiksha in Hinduism,charity in Christianity besides others promotealmsgiving.[14] This obligation of making gifts to God by almsgiving explains the occurrence of generous donations outside religious sites like temples and mosques to mendicants begging in the name of God.
Tzedakah plays a central role in Judaism. The Jewish practice of maaser kesafim requires a contribution of 10% of one's income as a monetary tithe, mostly to be given to the poor.[15]
InBuddhism,monks andnuns traditionally live by begging foralms, as done by the historicalGautama Buddha himself. This is, among other reasons, so thatLaity can gain religious merit by giving food, medicines, and other essential items to the monks. The monks seldom need to plead for food; in villages and towns throughout modernMyanmar,Thailand,Cambodia,Vietnam, and other Buddhist countries, householders can often be found at dawn every morning streaming down the road to the local temple to give food to the monks. In East Asia, monks and nuns were expected to farm or work for returns to feed themselves.[16][17][18]
The biblical figureJesus is said to have lived a simple life. He is said to have encouraged his disciples "to take nothing for their journey except a staff—no bread, no bag, no money in their belts—but to wear sandals and not put on two tunics."[19]
Ming China was founded by former beggarZhu Yuanzhang. Orphaned in childhood due to famine,Zhu Yuanzhang, turned to the Huangjue temple for help. When the temple ran out of resources to support its occupants he became amendicant monk traveling China begging for food.[20]
Begging has been restricted or prohibited at various times and for various reasons, typically revolving around a desire to preservepublic order or to induce people towork rather than to beg. Various EuropeanPoor Laws prohibited or regulated begging from theRenaissance to modern times, with varying levels of effectiveness and enforcement. Similar laws were adopted by many developing countries.[citation needed]
"Aggressive panhandling" has been specifically prohibited by law in various jurisdictions in the United States and Canada, typically defined as persistent or intimidating begging.[21]
Begging is banned inAfghanistan,[22] which mostly exists inKabul,Herat andMazar-i-Sharif.[23][24][25][26][27][28]
Each state and territory inAustralia has specific laws regarding begging and panhandling. Begging foralms is illegal inVictoria,South Australia,Northern Territory, andQueensland.[29][30]
There is no nationwide ban but it is illegal in several federal states.[31]
It is legal to beg in Belarus.[32]
Begging is legal in Belgium, but municipalities can restrict it.[33]
It is legal to beg inBrazil, and receive medical care provided by law in SUS (Unique Health System)[34]
Systematic begging is illegal inBulgaria by article 329 of the penal code.[35]
The province ofOntario introduced itsSafe Streets Act in 1999 to restrict specific kinds of begging, particularly certain narrowly defined cases of "aggressive" or abusive begging.[36] In 2001 this law was upheld under theCanadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.[37] The law was further upheld by theCourt of Appeal for Ontario in January 2007.[38]
One response to the anti-panhandling laws which were passed was the creation of theOttawa Panhandlers Union which fights for the political rights of panhandlers. The union is a shop of theIndustrial Workers of the World.[citation needed]
British Columbia enacted its ownSafe Streets Act in 2004 which resembles the Ontario law. There are also critics in that province who oppose such laws.[39]
Begging in Chile has been decriminalized since 1998.[40] Nevertheless, municipal governments from time to time attempt to reintroduce begging bans as city ordinances.
Begging inChina is illegal if:
Those cases are violations of the Article 41 of the Public Security Administration Punishment Law of the People's Republic of China. For the first case, offenders would receive a detention between 10 days and 15 days, with an additional fine underRMB 1,000; for the second case, it is punishable by a 5-day detention or warning.
According to Article 262(2) or the Criminal Law of the People's Republic of China, organizing disabled or children under 14 to beg is illegal and will be punished by up to 7 years in prison, and fined.[citation needed]
Historically beggars were controlled by theStodderkonge or 'beggar king' for a town or district. Today, begging in Denmark is illegal under section 197 of the penal code, which reads:
Whoever, despite a police warning, makes himself guilty of begging, or who allows someone under 18, who belongs to his household, to beg, is to be punished with prison up to 6 months. If there are extenuating circumstances, the punishment may be omitted. A warning in the context of this law is valid for 5 years.
2) The requirement for a warning does not apply when the act was taken on a pedestrian street, by a station, in or by a supermarket or in public transportation.
3) When determining punishment, it should be considered an aggravating circumstance if the act was taken in one of the places mentioned in 2).
[31][41] Furthermore, begging which causes insecurity in the streets (so-calledutryghedsskabende tiggeri) has a harsher penalty of up to 14 days prison.[42]
Begging is illegal under theVagrancy Act 1824. However, it does not carry a jail sentence and is not enforced in many cities,[43] although since the act applies in all public places, it is enforced more frequently onpublic transport. Local authorities may issuepublic spaces protection orders for particular areas, making begging subject to a fine.[44]
Begging has been legal in Finland since 1987 when the poor law was invalidated. In 2003, the Public Order Act replaced local government rules and decriminalized begging.[45]
A law against begging ended in 1994; however, begging with aggressive animals or children is still outlawed.[31]
Under article 407 of the Greek Penal Code, begging was punishable by up to 6 months in jail and up to a 3000 euro fine. However, this law was repealed in October 2018, after protests from street musicians in the city of Thessaloniki.[46]
Hungary has a nationwide ban. This may include stricter related laws in cities such asBudapest, which also prohibits picking things from rubbish bins.[31]
Begging is criminalized in cities such asMumbai andDelhi as per the Bombay Prevention of Begging Act, BPBA (1959).[47] Under this law, officials of the Social Welfare Department, assisted by the police, conductraids to pick up beggars who they then try in special courts called 'beggar courts'. If convicted, they are sent to certified institutions called 'beggar homes', also known asSewa Kutir, for a period ranging from one to ten years for detention, training and employment. The government of Delhi, besides criminalizing alms-seeking, has also criminalized almsgiving at traffic signals, to reduce the 'nuisance' of begging and ensure the smooth flow of traffic.
Aashray Adhikar Abhiyan and thePeople's Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) have criticized this Act and advocated for its repeal.[48] Section 2(1) of the BPBA broadly defines 'beggars' as those individuals who directly solicit alms, as well as those who have no visible means of subsistence and are found wandering around. Therefore, as a result of the enforcement of this law, the homeless are often mistaken for beggars.[9] Beggar homes, which are meant to provide vocational training, have often been found to have abysmal living conditions.[48]
In 2018, theDelhi High Court declared 25 provisions of the Bombay Prevention of Begging Act (1959) as unconstitutional, following petitions filed byHarsh Mander and Karnika Sawhney.[49] In 2021, theSupreme Court refused to ban begging and observed that begging was a socioeconomic problem.[50]
"Passive" begging is legal inIreland, but begging "in an aggressive, intimidating or threatening manner" is illegal, punishable by a fine.Gardaí (police) can also direct people begging in certain areas to move on, e.g. at anATM, nightsafe,vending machine or shop entrance.[51]
It is also illegal to "organise or direct someone else to beg;" under the Criminal Justice (Public Order) Act 2011, punishable by a €200,000 fine or up to 5 years in prison; this law was adopted in response to organised begging byRomani gangs.[52][53][54][55][56]
Prior to the 2011, begging was outlawed by theVagrancy (Ireland) Act 1847, adopted during theGreat Famine, until a 2007High Court ruling said that it wastoo vague and incompatible with theConstitution of Ireland's protection offreedom of speech.[57][58]
Begging with children or animals is forbidden, but the law is not enforced.[31]
Buddhist monks appear in public when begging for alms.[59]
Most cases of begging are illegal. Especially, if it annoys someone, or bothers the traffic, or is for a personal purpose.[citation needed]
Begging was made illegal in the historic city center ofRiga in 2012. Begging in Riga outside the historic city center requires that the beggar carries ID.[60]
It is illegal to beg in the capitalVilnius. It is also illegal to give money to a beggar. Both can receive a fine of up to 2,000 litas (€770).[61]
Begging inLuxembourg is legal, except when it is indulged in as a group or the beggar is a part of an organised effort. According toChachipe, aRoma rights advocacyNGO, 1639 begging cases were reported by Luxembourgish law enforcement authorities. Roma beggars were arrested, handcuffed, taken to police stations and held for hours and had their money confiscated.[62]
Although the Begging (Prohibition) Act was introduced in 1962,[63] this has not been enforced and the begging population in the capital,Kathmandu has since grown to over 5,000, according to police estimates.[64] Besides the common begging tricks such as asking for money or asking for milk which will be returned to the shop for money, there is a unique scam in Nepal which involves asking a foreigner to buy a shoe box at an inflated price. This shoe box is claimed to help provide a sustainable livelihood for the beggar but in fact, will be returned to the seller for money.[65]
Begging is banned in some counties and there were plans for a nationwide ban in 2015; however, this proposal was dropped after theCentre Party withdrew their support.[31]
Begging is prohibited in thePhilippines under the Anti-Mendicancy Law of 1978 although this is not strictly enforced.[66]
InPoland, it is illegal to beg under the Code of petty offences, if they are able to hold a job orbeg in public in a pressing or fraudulently (Article 58).[67] The beggar is due to a fine of €365.[68]Who tends to beg a minor or helpless person or dependant relative depending on him or dedicated under his custody, shall be punishable by detention, restriction of liberty or a fine (Article 104).
InPortugal, panhandlers normally beg in front of Catholic churches, at traffic lights or on special places inLisbon orOporto downtowns. Begging is legal in Portugal. Many social and religious institutions support homeless people and panhandlers and the Portuguese Social Security normally gives them a survival monetary subsidy.[citation needed]
Under the article 278 of the Qatari penal code, the maximum sentence for begging is one year. This sentence was increased from a maximum of three months before July 2006.[69] The alternative is housing in a specialized correctional facility. The money will be confiscated in any case.[70] This law is enforced, with a police division dedicated solely for that purpose.[71]
Law 61 of 1991[72] forbids the persistent call for the mercy of the public, by a person who is able to work, although begging still remains widespread in the country.[73]
US State Department Human Rights reports note a pattern ofRoma children registered for "vagrancy and begging".[74]
In parts ofSan Francisco, California,aggressive panhandling is prohibited.[75]
In May 2010, police in the city ofBoston started cracking down on panhandling in the streets in downtown, and were conducting an educational outreach to residents advising them not to give to panhandlers. The Boston police distinguished active solicitation, or aggressive panhandling, versus passive panhandling of which an example is opening doors at a store with a cup in hand but saying nothing.[76]
U. S. Courts have repeatedly ruled that begging is protected by theFirst Amendment's free speech provisions. On August 14, 2013, the U. S. Court of Appeals struck down aGrand Rapids, Michigan, anti-begging law on free speech grounds.[77] AnArcata, California, law banning panhandling within twenty feet of stores was struck down on similar grounds in 2012.[78]
InBaltimore,Maryland, several non-profits have been working with the "squeegee kids" to get them off the streets instead of the police having to enforce the law and have the teens arrested.[79][80]
A 2002 study of 54 panhandlers inToronto reported that of amedian monthly income of $638Canadian dollars (CAD) – those interviewed spent a median of $200 on food and $192 on alcohol, tobacco and illegal drugs.[81] TheFraser Institute criticized this study, citing problems with potential exclusion of lucrative forms of begging and the unreliability of reports from the panhandlers who were polled in the study.[82]
InNorth America, panhandling money is widely reported to support substance abuse and other addictions. For example, outreach workers in downtownWinnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, surveyed that city's panhandling community and determined that approximately three-quarters use some of the donated money to buy tobacco products, while two-thirds buy solvents[vague] or alcohol.[83]
Because of concerns that people begging on the street may use the money to support alcohol or drug abuse, some advise those wishing to give to beggars to give gift cards or vouchers for food or services, and not cash.[83][84][85][86][87][88] Some shelters also offer business cards with information on the shelter's location and services, which can be given in lieu of cash.[89]
There are many depictions of beggars in fine art.[90]
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