The theory was developed into Whig economic ideas such as The Poor Law Amendment Act of 1834 . Its opponents described the act as `` a Malthusian bill designed to force the poor to emigrate , to work for lower wages , to live on a coarser sort of food '' . It drew from this the inference that ideas of charity to the poor typified by Tory paternalism were futile as it would only result in increased numbers of the poor , and was developed into Whig economic ideas exemplified by The Poor Law Amendment Act of 1834 , described by opponents as `` a Malthusian bill designed to force the poor to emigrate , to work for lower wages , to live on a coarser sort of food '' , which brought the construction of workhouses despite riots and arson .