The Welfare State Flashcards
Beveridge report of 1942
A welfare state is one that is concerned with implementing social policies guaranteeing the “cradle to the grave” well being of the population
The Welfare state in Britain mainly began with the Beveridge Report of 1942 which was based on four main assumptions :
Full Employment
Universal Welfare
Free healthcare and education
That women would be housewives and mothers
The report also claimed welfare is aimed to destroy the five giants of : want, ignorance, disease, idleness, squalor
Advantages of welfare provision
• Provides a safety net when private sectors fail e.g…
• More likely to provide a wider range of services e.g. Social services
• Can easily be held to account for their failings e.g. underperforming schools will be judged by..
Disadvantages of welfare provision
• It is often at the mercy of funding from the Government which can be cut as we have seen in.
• Too much demand can place the service under incredible pressure e.g. the NHS waiting lists and more recently during.
Welfare pluralism
Who Provides Welfare?
Although welfare is generally provided by the public sector (state), private companies, voluntary organisations, charities, families and community groups are all involved in welfare provision.
This is welfare pluralism
Informal welfare
Welfare from family and friends
The voluntary sector
The Voluntary Sector
© voluntary organisations are non-profit making organisations, often charities. They are staffed by volunteers and paid staff. They try to fill the gap in funding that is left by the Government.
Advantages of the voluntary sector
Advantages of the Voluntary Sector
• High levels of expertise such as.. cancer specialists st christies
Able to respond quickly in meeting people’s needs
Can act as pressure groups highlighting social inequality
Disadvantages of voluntary sector
Often lack adequate funds to be as effective
Do not exist in all areas where they are needed
Under severe pressure as a result of funding cuts from the government
The private sector
The Private Sector
• This sector provides welfare services such as private hospitals, schools, care homes, pensions and medical insurance such as BUPA.
New Right would argue that the private sector is more efficient and more effective
• However access to the private sector is only available to those that can afford it.
The most disadvantaged therefore may not be able to get services if the state does not provide them
This means that people who have the money can pay to “queue jump” for example paying to see a private consultant who can then put them at the top of a waiting list
Marxism
Marxism
Marxist approaches tend to see the welfare state mainly as a way of buying off c class protest. This is done by reducing the risk to social order and political stability c by extreme inequality, ill health and poverty. By keeping the labor force healthy ar efficient, it creates a “Caring face of Capitalism” (Pearce). The truth is that the Bourgeoisie just want to keep their workforce healthy so that they can continue to them in the workplace
Feminism
/eminism
Feminist approaches emphasize the way the welfare state supports patriarchy, and the inadequacy of the welfare state to meet the needs of women. They point to the way in which the benefits system is frequently based on contributions (such as pension contributions) made up by full time workers, who are less likely to be women.
As mentioned earlier, the state also makes assumptions that care will be undertaken for free by women who will rely on being financially supported by their husbands.
