Abandoned Quote by Letty Cottin Pogrebin
“In the supposedly enlightened eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, parental indifference, child neglect, and raw cruelty appearedamong Europeans of all classes… In mid-nineteenth- century France, families abandoned their children at the rate of thirty-three thousand a year… It took sixty years after the criminalization of cruelty to animals for cruelty to children to be made punishable under English law… Industrialized America added brutalizing child labor to the oppressions of the young.”
About This Quote
Source Book: The History of Child Welfare, 2020
Historical neglect of children persisted despite societal progress, showing systemic cruelty across classes and nations.
In simple terms: Children were mistreated despite enlightenment.
Key Takeaway
Recognize and address systemic child welfare failures.
Themes
child welfare
history
social injustice
legal reform
industrialization
Mood
concerned
reflective
determined
Type
historical
advocational
analytical
When to use this quote
- policy reform
- education
- advocacy
- community support
Key Concepts
neglect
cruelty
legal lag
class disparity
industrial exploitation
Questions to Reflect On
- How can modern societies prevent repeat of past neglect?
- What policies best protect children today?
A Different Perspective
Legal reforms often lag behind moral awareness, leaving children vulnerable.
