A century ago, Seebohm Rowntree, inspired by the work of Charles Booth and of his own father, Joseph Rowntree, embarked on a lengthy investigation of poverty in York. He and his team talked to poor and working class people in the city to find out what they spent their money on, and the extent to which they could afford what he defined as the minimum necessities (which did not, as far as he was concerned, include alcohol). He gathered an extraordinary range of statistics. His work was hugely influential in the thinking which led to the foundation of the welfare state - after reading it,...