Laissez-Faire - GCSE History Definition

Laissez-faire is a French phrase that means “let do” or “leave alone.” In history, it describes a time when the government believed it shouldn’t get involved in people’s lives.

When it comes to medicine and health, laissez-faire meant that the government didn’t think it was its job to help people stay healthy. They didn’t spend money on things like cleaning up dirty streets, improving housing, or preventing disease. Instead, they thought people should look after themselves. This meant that many people, especially the poor, lived in unhealthy conditions. It wasn’t until later, when problems like disease outbreaks became too serious to ignore, that the government started to take action and bring in public health reforms.