The Welfare StateThe Welfare State

The Welfare StateThe Welfare Statean introductionan introduction

A welfare state is a state in which organised power is deliberately

used (through politics and administration) in an effort to

modify the play of market forces.

The Welfare StateThe Welfare Statean introductionan introduction

The first and second of these objectives may be accomplished, in part at least, by what used to be called ‘social service state’, a state in which communal resources are employed to abate poverty and to assist those in distress.The third objective brings in the idea of ‘optimum’ rather than the older idea of ‘minimum’. It is concerned not merely with reduction of class differences or the needs of specific groups but with equality of treatment and the aspirations of citizens as voters with equal shares of electoral power.

The Welfare StateThe Welfare Stateand its five conceptsand its five concepts

1 Market Forces

2 Social contingencies

3 Organised power

4 Range of agreed social service

5 Minimum standards

The Welfare State The Welfare State and Bismarckand Bismarck

The Welfare State The Welfare State and Bismarckand Bismarck

German experience in the nineteenth century

Legislation was more advanced in Britain than in any other European country

Germany led in social security legislation

The Welfare State The Welfare State and Bismarckand Bismarck

Bismarck:

• was not without reason in introducing his welfare state.

•agreed that the state should contribute to the cost of insurance.

•invocation of ‘subservience’ while his socialist opposition want ‘equality’.

•argued in 1884 that if the state only showed a little more ‘Christian concern for the working man’ then Social Democracy would sound their ‘siren song in vain’.

Bismarck's critics:

•protested that the welfare state would make workers dependant upon the state.

•protested workers would put up with a lot – because of the pension that was to come.

•protested that welfare soothed the spirit, or perhaps tamed it.

The Welfare State The Welfare State and the 20and the 20thth Century Century

Five factors in twentieth-century welfare history:

1 Attitude towards poverty

2

4 Market capitalism

5 Working-class pressures

Social contingencies

3 Unemployment and welfare policy

The Welfare StateThe Welfare Stateand the 20and the 20thth Century Century

Social security legislation in the 20th century raises many interesting general issues:

• The relevance of the insurance principle.

• The relationship between ‘negative’ social policy and ‘positive’ economic policy.

• The responsibilities of the State.

The Welfare StateThe Welfare Stateand the 20and the 20thth Century Century

Industrial betterment

USA business rather than the State

Break timeBreak time

Social policy a ‘third way’ Social policy a ‘third way’ approachapproach

Third way politics Third way politics

Social policy a ‘third way’ Social policy a ‘third way’ approachapproach

Work consumerism and the New Poor Work consumerism and the New Poor

Social policy a ‘third way’ Social policy a ‘third way’ approachapproach

•

“We need to adapt our welfare state to fit in with the way we live”.

The Welfare State and the The Welfare State and the 2020thth Century Century

Liberalism individualism markets and competition

Marxism class conflict central planning and

direction

Fabianism co-operation/ an acceptance of the gradualness market and competition but state planning should be utilised to move towards a fairer society.

FabiansimFabiansim

The Fabian SocietyThe Fabian Society

Founded in 1884 by Beatrice and Sidney Webb, Founded in 1884 by Beatrice and Sidney Webb, George Bernard Shaw and HG Wells asGeorge Bernard Shaw and HG Wells asa group promoting non-Marxist evolutionary socialism.a group promoting non-Marxist evolutionary socialism.

New left… New left…

1.1. Stable management and economic Stable management and economic prudence because of the global economy. prudence because of the global economy.

2.2. A change of emphasis in government A change of emphasis in government intervention; education, training and intervention; education, training and infrastructure not industrial relations.infrastructure not industrial relations.

3.3. Reform of the welfare state through Reform of the welfare state through managed welfare.managed welfare.

4.4. Reinventing government, Reinventing government, decentralisation, opening up government.decentralisation, opening up government.

5.5. Internationalism rather than isolationism.Internationalism rather than isolationism.

The Welfare StateThe Welfare Stateand the 21and the 21stst Century Century

Reducing public spending

Increasing inequality

Concern is growing

The Welfare StateThe Welfare Stateand the 21and the 21stst Century Century

The cause of the change

Emergence of a ‘deviant’ culture

Left and centre parties have abandoned socialist policies

Theology and social Theology and social contextscontexts

Biblical texts must encounter our Biblical texts must encounter our social context and produce a new social context and produce a new way of living for the followers of way of living for the followers of

Jesus.Jesus.

Theology and social Theology and social contextscontexts

• When we seek to respond to a situation or When we seek to respond to a situation or question we need to ask ourselves some question we need to ask ourselves some questions?questions?

• Who is it for and what is our intention?Who is it for and what is our intention?• Are we enabling others through our response?Are we enabling others through our response?• Are we addressing the symptoms or the causes?Are we addressing the symptoms or the causes?• Who will be involved in the response?Who will be involved in the response?• What do we hope to achieve?What do we hope to achieve?• Will our response present the Gospel of Christ? Will our response present the Gospel of Christ?

Theology and social Theology and social contextscontexts

How does the church and world How does the church and world meet here? How does biblical text meet here? How does biblical text encounter our world? What do we encounter our world? What do we

do?do?

The Welfare StateThe Welfare Stateand the 21and the 21stst Century Century

What do you think?

Should welfare depend upon a means tested approach?

Should there be free service for all at the point of delivery and need?

What should the welfare system of this nation look like?

A free market welfare system would be more effective and equitable?