Abstract

This essay describes the utter situation of the Mendicity Store of Taro's Department in the Napoleonic era. In 1809 with the Schonnbrunn's decree Napoleon bans the mendicity in all the Empire's territory and orders to build in every department an institute having the aim to make assistance for poor, marginal and disable persons. The prefect of Taro's Department Henry Dupont Delporte pursuits the end of the work begun during the government period of Eugene Nardon and opens the institute in late 1810. At the Store the need of assistance is united to the modern conception derived from Illuminism of social rescue of these unfortunate people through the productive work. The Store organizes productive works doomed to the Imperial Army, the manufacturing of textile products, the transformation of agricultural goods and many other productions, unifying social assistance with an useful production.