What caused secular governments in both Catholic and Protestant regions of Europe to begin to assume the responsibility for public charity?
A) An overall increase in poverty and hardship and the rise of a work ethic that included growing hostility toward the poor
B) Competition between Protestant and Catholic regions over how best to minister to the poor and increase the size of their communities in these contested regions
C) Pressure from the popes and from local rulers who had come to sympathize with the poor and downtrodden in society
D) The discovery and introduction of scientific and quantitative approaches to solving the problem of poverty

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The rise of a work ethic that included growing hostility toward the poor, along with an overall increase in poverty and hardship, led secular governments in both Catholic and Protestant regions of Europe to begin assuming responsibility for public charity. This shift was part of broader social and economic changes during the period, rather than being driven by religious competition, papal pressure, or scientific approaches to poverty.

What Caused Secular Governments in Both Catholic and Protestant Regions