The Development of Social Welfare in Britain

by Eric Midwinter

This textbook is aimed at undergraduate and diploma students across a wide range of the social sciences, with particular reference to those preparing for or involved in careers in social and public administration. It provides, in compact form, the story of social provision from medieval times to the present day, systematically examining major themes of: the relief of poverty and social care; healthcare and housing; crime and policing; and education.

With the rise of the Welfare State, and its current questioning as the chief focus, the book sets out to analyze how the state has responded to the social problems that have beset it. Consideration is given to comparative elements in Europe, North America and elsewhere, together with specific reference to issues of race, ethnicity and gender. A specially prepared glossary completes what is a review and description of the growth and present disposition of the full range of social and public services in Britain.

"This is a well-written and well-argued text with a huge amount of information covered in a succinct and readable manner." - Community Care "[The Author] provides a far-sighted and historical review of developments in social welfare...With often beautifully balanced and weighty phrasing." - Critical Public Health "It will prove useful as a basic textfor courses on English social policy designed for students from othersocial disciplines or from overseas. In our new modular world, it is the sort of book our students will increasingly demand." - Social History of Medicine "...anyone seeking a brief introduction to the history of social welfare in Britain should find this volume useful as the author has compressed an enormous amount of material into a 168 page text." - Albion "...excellent introduction to the history of 'social welfare'." - Labour Campaign for Criminal Justice

Social casualty and political response
medieval life and welfare
the nation-state and the monetary economy
industrialism's impace and the initial response
piecemeal collectivism - precursors of the welfare state
the silent revolution of the 1940s
the Buskellite consensus
the questioning of the welfare state