Samuel Smiles

• Samuel Smiles began writing articles on parliamentary reform when he was a medical student at Edinburgh University which were published in the Edinburgh Weekly Chronicle. He continued his interest for reform after qualifying as a doctor in 1832 and was influenced by the radical politician and MP for Leeds, Joseph Hume. Smiles began contributing articles on parliamentary reform to the Leeds Times.
• In 1838, Smiles was invited to become editor of the Leeds Times. He was also a strong supporter of the co-operative movement in Leeds, especially the Leeds Mutual Society and the Leeds Redemption Society. In 1840, he became secretary to the Leeds Parliamentary Reform Association, supporting the views of Chartism. Although an original supporter of Chartism, Smiles became alarmed by the growing militarism of some of the leading Chartists. Therefore, he began to distance himself and became the secretary to the newly formed Leeds and Thrisk Railway.
• In the 1850s, Smiles had come to believe that parliamentary reform by itself wouldn't be enough to lift people out of poverty and give the poor a voice. Instead, he believed that individual reform was needed. Arguing that self-help was the best route to success, his book 'Self-Help' was published in 1859 and became an instant bestseller, mainly amongst the middle classes. He suggested that there was no need to pay vast amounts into the poor rates because most of the poor could raise themselves out of poverty. Only the genuine destitute needed help.
• To support his belief of 'Self-Help', Smiles wrote several biographies of famous men (e.g. George Stephenson) who had achieved success through hard work.
• In 1875, he published his book 'Thrift', which argued that thrift and the correct use of money was the basis of self-help.
• In 1880, he published 'Duty', which was full of examples of great deeds done by men, and some women, who he believed set shining examples to the rest of the population.
• Smiles' final book, 'Conduct', was never published. In 1896 and 1898 his publisher refused to publish it. When he died in 1904, the manuscript was found in his desk. On the orders of his publisher, it was destroyed.