THEME 2 - creating welfare state 1918-79 Social welfare provision 1945-79 Flashcards
what was the impact of WW2 on social welfare provision
Evacuation - children evacuated from poor urban centres to safe areas in countryside - mixing of cultures
Rationing - made people feel more equal, enhanced sense of community as everyone felt suffering hardship for the war effort - some found standards of living improved
The beveridge report 1942 - what did it argue and propose
Post war vision of britain which welfare tackled: SQUALOR, IGNORANCE, WANT, IDLENESS, DISEASE
- Rejection of MEANS testing
Flat rate of contributions to welfare benefits and a flat rate of benefits
The bervidge report 1942 - what were the reactions?
popular with all elements of society
used as proganda overseas - motivation for soldiers abroad to keep fighting
-supported by those disadvantaged by means tests
what was the impact of the beveridge report ?
desire for greater state intervention in welfare
labour government and consensus - 1939-64
what was labours 1945 manifesto and what happened in 1945
what did labour want to do
1945 manifesto - let us face the future - labour landslide
- look after thise from cradle to grave
labour government and consensus - 1939-64
what were the early stages in the creation of the welfare state and what acts were passed
1945: National assistance act - welfare support for those uninsured
1945: Family allowenceds act - child benefits to mothers
1946: National insurance act - universal (covered everyone) - payed for by weekly charges to all wages - ABLOSHIED MEANS TESTING
1948: NHS
welfare consensus 1939-64
Macmillan (1957-63)
- early advocate of welfare conservatism (the middle way - book he wrote)
- believed upper/middle class should help provide for the poor
- cuts to welfare would be unpoluar so threatening chances in election
welfare spending did not end poverty: 1965 child poverty action group found 720,000 children living in poverty
what were the challenges to welfare state provision 1964-79
1. economic decline
Wilson + Callaghan discovered £800,000,000 debt as a result of previous overspending on military + welfare
AS A RESULT
wilson gov forced to increase taxation in order to pay for growing welfare state
individual pressure on taxpayer led to increased resentment for welfare state
what were the challenges to welfare state provision 1964-79
2. Heath government 1970-74 (conservative)
inherited welfare bill, trade union challenges and inflation
passed Natioanal insurance act 1970:
- increased pension rights
- attendence allowence for those who needed care at home
- increased child allowence for mothers
what were the challenges to welfare state provision 1964-79
3. right wing challenges to welfare state provision 1970’s onwards - sir keith joseph
1970 - Sir Keith Joseph - argued state was enemy of individual freedom -> therefore increase in welfare provision would automaticlaly lead to a decrease in individual freedom
Joseph claimed wilson would tac more and more money to fund an even larger welfare state - theremore oevrall welfare must be stopped
what were the challenges to welfare state provision 1964-79
3. right wing challenges to welfare state provision 1970’s onwards - welfare + dependency
End of 1970’s - conservatives argued there was dependcy culture because of the welfare state
Mp’s Thatcher + Joseph argued welfare state encouraged people to live on benefits
CONSEQUENCES OF DEPENDCY CULTURE:
1. promoted economic deckine (more people gave up work + contributed less to economy)
2. Encouraged relative poverty
3. moral problems - robbed welfare dependents of self respect
