Origins of the Welfare State - Hardcover

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0415212227 ISBN 13: 9780415212229

Publisher: Routledge, 2000

Synopsis

Consisting of both shorter pieces and reprints of entire books, this set restores to circulation a number of key texts from the debate about the future of welfare that took place in Britain following the depression. The collection covers the following areas: * The period during which the country felt the full impact of the world depression. A number of solutions were put forward during this time to address the arising issues - in particular the consequences of mass unemployment. The approaches ranged from orthodox Marxism to modified conservatism and "middle opinion" * A key feature of the debate was the concept of planning as a device to enable governments to cope with economic and social problems. * A range of different ideas were widely canvassed during the war years. It was considered that successful conduct of war could then be applied to the problems of peace. This set resurrects certain proposals, influential in the climate of the times, which have subsequently dropped out of circulation * Early assessments dealing with the implications of Welfare State legislation are also included. Although the implementation of the welfare programme was in effect a bipartisan process it did not take long for doubts to be expressed - some of which were directed at the principles on which the Welfare State was being constructed

About this title

Synopsis

The aim of this collection is to restore to circulation a number of key texts from the debate about the future of welfare that took place in Britain between the Great Depression and the end of the period during which the welfare state was established. The set will be divided into four sections. The first covers the period during which the country felt the full impact of the world depression and a number of solutions were put forward to address the issues arising and in particular the consequences of mass unemployment. These cover a range of different approaches from orthodox Marxism and idiosyncratic variations on it through social democracy to modified conservatism and 'middle opinion'. A key feature of this debate was the concept of planning as a device to enable governments to cope with economic and social problems. A wide range of views was expressed on this issue, ranging from the profoundly hostile to the widely enthusiastic. That debate was cut short by the outbreak of war: the general perception then developed that the lessons of the unsuccessful conduct of the war could then be applied to the problems of peace.

A range of different proposals were widely canvassed during the war years - the selection here is intended to resurrect a number of those that have subsequently dropped out of circulation but were influential in the climate of the times. A final section covers a number of early assessments of the implications of the introduction of welfare state legislation. Although the implementation of the welfare programme was in effect a bipartisan process it did not take long for doubts to be expressed. Some were directed at the principles on which the welfare state was being constructed. The collection closes with the discovery that poverty, whose banishment was a key objective of the whole enterprise, was still very much present.

Edition details

• Publisher: Routledge
• Publication date: 2000
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0415212227
• ISBN 13: 9780415212229
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 2600
• Editor: Deakin Nicholas