The Welfare State
The Welfare State
The Welfare State an 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 State an 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 State and its five concepts
1
2
3
Market Forces
Social contingencies
Organised power
4 Range of agreed social service
5 Minimum standards
The Welfare State and Bismarck
The Welfare State and 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 and 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 and the 20 th Century
Five factors in twentieth-century welfare history:
1 Attitude towards poverty
2 Social contingencies
3 Unemployment and welfare policy
4 Market capitalism
5 W orking-class pressures
The Welfare State and the 20 th Century
Social security legislation in the 20 th 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 State and the 20 th Century
Industrial betterment
USA business rather than the State
Break time
Social policy a ‘third way’ approach
Third way politics
Social policy a ‘third way’ approach
Work consumerism and the New Poor
•
Social policy a ‘third way’ approach
“We need to adapt our welfare state to fit in with the way we live”.
The Welfare State and the 20 th 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.
Fabiansim
The Fabian Society
Founded in 1884 by Beatrice and Sidney Webb,
George Bernard Shaw and HG Wells as a group promoting non-Marxist evolutionary socialism.
New left…
1. Stable management and economic prudence because of the global economy.
2. A change of emphasis in government intervention; education, training and infrastructure not industrial relations.
3. Reform of the welfare state through managed welfare.
4. Reinventing government, decentralisation, opening up government.
5. Internationalism rather than isolationism.
The Welfare State and the 21 st Century
Reducing public spending
Increasing inequality
Concern is growing
The Welfare State and the 21 st Century
The cause of the change
Emergence of a ‘deviant’ culture
Left and centre parties have abandoned socialist policies
Theology and social contexts
Biblical texts must encounter our social context and produce a new way of living for the followers of
Jesus.
Theology and social contexts
• When we seek to respond to a situation or question we need to ask ourselves some questions?
• Who is it for and what is our intention?
• Are we enabling others through our response?
• Are we addressing the symptoms or the causes?
• Who will be involved in the response?
• What do we hope to achieve?
• Will our response present the Gospel of Christ?
Theology and social contexts
How does the church and world meet here? How does biblical text encounter our world? What do we do?
The Welfare State and the 21 st 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?
