Revisiting the welfare state / Robert M. Page.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Page, Robert M.

Series:

Introducing social policy

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Welfare state--Great Britain.

Welfare state.

Welfare state--Great Britain--History.

History.

Great Britain--Social policy--1979-.

Great Britain.

Social policy.

Great Britain--Social policy.

Physical Description:

x, 162 pages ; 24 cm.

Place of Publication:

Maidenhead ; New York : Open University Press, 2007.

Summary:

In Revisiting the Welfare State, Robert Page provides a persuasive, fresh and challenging account of the British welfare state since 1940. His text re-examines some of the most commonly held assumptions about the post-war welfare state and reignites the debate about its role and purpose.

Robert Page starts from the premise that the student of social policy can gain a deeper understanding of the welfare state by studying political and historical accounts of the welfare state, party manifestos, policy documents and political memoirs. Drawing from these sources, he provides a clear guide to the changing role of the state in the provision of welfare since 1940. Each of the five chapters is devoted to a particular theme associated with the post-war welfare state, the last of which focuses on the strategy of the New Labour governments of Tony Blair.

Written by one of the leading authorities on contemporary social policy, Revisiting the Welfare State is a stimulating guide to the political history of the post-war welfare state in Britain. It is essential reading for students of social policy, social work, politics and contemporary history. It will also appeal to the general reader who is seeking an accessible guide to the political history of the post-war welfare state.

Contents:

1 The impact of war on the 'Home' Front, the coalition government and the Welfare State 6

The impact of the Second World War on social attitudes 6

Social policy and the coalition government 1940-45 19

2 Revisiting the Labour Governments 1945-1951: towards a Democratic Socialist Welfare State and society? 27

Creating a Democratic Socialist Welfare State 28

Labour's Democratic Socialist economic strategy 35

3 Revisiting the Welfare State from 1951-1979: an era of consensus in social policy? 47

The definitional debate 48

Modern Conservatism (1945-64): a new approach to state welfare? 49

Revisionist Democratic Socialism 1951-70 58

A 'consensus' of doubt: modern Conservatism, revisionist Democratic Socialism and the Welfare State in the 1970s 64

4 Revisiting the Conservative welfare 'revolution': the Thatcher and Major years 1979-1997 72

Neo-liberal ascendancy within the Conservative party: the forward march of Thatcherism 73

The Thatcher governments 1979-90 74

Thatcherism 1983-90 79

The second term 1983-87 79

Thatcher's last stand (1987-90) 84

The Thatcher 'revolution' and the Welfare State 90

Forward with Major 1990-97: the 'revolution' consolidated? 92

A very Conservative welfare revolution? 99

5 Revisiting New Labour and the Welfare State 101

The emergence of New Labour 101

New Labour in practice: social policy under Blair - 1997-2007 110

New Labour: still a force for 'progressive' social policy and a more equal society? 121.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

9780335213184

0335213189

0335213170

9780335213177

OCLC:

148823462