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The Welfare State of Britain

The Welfare State of Britain. Origins of the Welfare State Achieving the welfare state Providing Health, Medical Care Problems of Welfare State Moving away, future of welfare state. How the welfare state began?.

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The Welfare State of Britain

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  1. The Welfare State of Britain Origins of the Welfare State Achieving the welfare state Providing Health, Medical Care Problems of Welfare State Moving away, future of welfare state

  2. How the welfare state began? • 1942, William Beveridge, a civil servant, published a report to call for government to provide basic help for all citizens

  3. He felt that the government should put an end to poverty, disease and unemployment. But, he warned government not to be toogenerous.People must take care of themselves when they had found jobs. Government acted on Beveridge’s plans after WW2 when there was high unemployment and poverty. It started a “welfare state” to look after British citizens, to ensure that people had at least a decent life – a home, a job and medical care. The welfare state wanted to end poverty and diseases.

  4. Achieving a welfare state • Government took over management of public utilities, transport, industries etc to keep services affordable and to create jobs for people.

  5. Welfare benefits • Maternity grant • Child benefit • Sickness, injury, unemployment benefit • Retirement pension • Death grant

  6. Health, Medical Care • National Health Service (NHS),1948 • Free basic medical service for all citizens (medical, dental, optical) • Funded from taxes and worker insurance payments

  7. Problems of Welfare State • Workers in government owned companies not productive enough (not concerned about profits) • Long queues at hospitals, long waiting lists

  8. Problems • Government spending went up as people took advantage of free treatment • People not motivated to work, dependent on government • Rich and businessmen had to pay more taxes, businesses moved away from country

  9. Moving away from welfare state • mid 1970s, government decided to reduce spending on welfare • Hope to motivate people to work for themselves • Hope to tax companies less • Privatise public utilities and health care • Free treatment only to selected people(students, expectant women and children)

  10. Can the government do away with welfare state completely? • May lose votes • People used to getting things free • But government cannot be too generous forever – who will pay for these freebies?

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