The Welfare State

1. The Welfare State

2. The Welfare Statean 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.

3. The Welfare Statean 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.

4. The Welfare Stateand its five concepts 1 Market Forces 2 Social contingencies 3 Organised power 4 Range of agreed social service 5 Minimum standards

5. The Welfare State and Bismarck

6. 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

7. 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.

8. The Welfare State and the 20th Century Five factors in twentieth-century welfare history: 1 Attitude towards poverty 2 Social contingencies 3 Unemployment and welfare policy 4 Market capitalism 5 Working-class pressures

9. The Welfare Stateand the 20th 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.

10. The Welfare Stateand the 20th Century Industrial betterment USA business rather than the State

11. Break time

12. Social policy a ‘third way’ approach Third way politics

13. Social policy a ‘third way’ approach Work consumerism and the New Poor

14. Social policy a ‘third way’ approach “We need to adapt our welfare state to fit in with the way we live”.

15. The Welfare State and the 20th 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.

16. Fabiansim The Fabian Society Founded in 1884 by Beatrice and Sidney Webb, George Bernard Shaw and HG Wells asa group promoting non-Marxist evolutionary socialism.

17. New left… • Stable management and economic prudence because of the global economy. • A change of emphasis in government intervention; education, training and infrastructure not industrial relations. • Reform of the welfare state through managed welfare. • Reinventing government, decentralisation, opening up government. • Internationalism rather than isolationism.

18. The Welfare Stateand the 21st Century Reducing public spending Increasing inequality Concern is growing

19. The Welfare Stateand the 21st Century The cause of the change Emergence of a ‘deviant’ culture Left and centre parties have abandoned socialist policies

20. Theology and social contexts Biblical texts must encounter our social context and produce a new way of living for the followers of Jesus.

21. 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?

22. Theology and social contexts How does the church and world meet here? How does biblical text encounter our world? What do we do?

23. The Welfare Stateand the 21st 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?