The British welfare state has been a political and ideological battleground since its inception, yet many of the voices in the crucial debates have been lost in orthodox histories. First published in 1987, Ideologies of Welfare (now with a new preface by the authors) explores the development of the welfare state through the debates which surrounded it in three key periods—the turn of the century; the Beveridge period; and the 1970s and 1980s. Each section focusses on four main and competing approaches—laissez-faire individualism, Fabianism, socialism, and feminism. The tension between them is developed in a selection of substantial readings which are contextualized and contrasted by detailed commentaries from the authors.

For the first time we can trace the development of four key strands of welfare ideology in their own words. Buried debates are re-opened and hidden traditions identified, continuity and change are highlighted. The concluding chapter looks at the future of social security and examines the relationship between ideology and policy.

The combination of documentary material and commentary provides an invaluable history of welfare in the twentieth century for students of social policy and administration.