The Welfare State in Britain since 1945

'Lowe has that rare gift of being able to overfly an immensely complicated landscape and to make sense of it with clarity, precision and detachment. His assessment of New Labour brings much-needed perspective and light.' - Peter Hennessy, Queen Mary, University of London 'This new edition provides an authoritative and clear assessment of the Thatcher years and a valuable assessment of New Labour's policies in relation to the preceding Conservative record.' - Jane Lewis, Department of Social Policy and Social Work, University of Oxford Reviews of the first edition: 'An impressive new history of the welfare state.' - The Guardian 'This book will be invaluable for anyone teaching or studying post-1945 British history or specifically post-war social policy.' - Pat Thane, Labour History Review 'An excellent study which will not be surpassed for many a year.' - Alan Booth, University of Exeter 'Excellent...Lowe is conversant with the social policy literature on this period and is able to make numerous connections with the perspectives of other disciplines.' - Journal of Social Policy Reviews of the third edition: 'Professor Lowe's book is an excellent update of his standard text. With the books by Fraser and Harris it gives Palgrave Macmillan a leading position in studies of the history of the British welfare state.' - Dr David Martin, University of Sheffield, UK

This is the third edition of a book which has established itself as a standard work on the British welfare state for students and general readers alike.Since the 1970s, welfare reform has been a political priority throughout the western world. In Britain, it has dominated New Labour under Tony Blair as much as it did the Conservatives under Margaret Thatcher. More generally, globalization has raised fears that national governments will dismantle their welfare states and, as in the 1930s, expose their citizens to the danger of mass unemployment and poverty.

The Welfare State in Britain since 1945 examines key questions such as:
- Why were welfare states created after the Second World War?
- Did the 'classic' welfare state in Britain create a more fair and efficient society as its creators such as Beveridge hoped; or did it stifle initiative and enterprise, thereby accelerating economic decline?
- Since the 1970s, has the introduction of greater market discipline into economic and social policy resulted in the dismantling of the welfare state; or has it been effectively restructured to satisfy old, and meet new, needs?
- Is there a new 'Thatcherite' consensus?
- Has Britain become once again, as in the 1940s, a welfare leader?

This new edition of a well-established text has been enlarged to provide full coverage of the Thatcher years and New Labour. Rodney Lowe incorporates the latest research as well as an appreciation of variations in national policy, particularly in the aftermath of devolution. In so doing, Lowe provides the fullest range of available evidence on which to base informed judgements on the past record, and future direction, of welfare policy in Britain.