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Foundations of the Workfare State – Reflections on the Political Transformation of the Welfare State in B ritain
Author(s) -
Deeming Christopher
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
social policy and administration
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.972
H-Index - 63
eISSN - 1467-9515
pISSN - 0144-5596
DOI - 10.1111/spol.12096
Subject(s) - workfare , ideology , welfare state , welfare , politics , state (computer science) , solidarity , work (physics) , punitive damages , political economy , economics , political science , economic system , market economy , law , mechanical engineering , algorithm , computer science , engineering
The B ritish ‘welfare state’ has been transformed. ‘Welfare’ has been replaced by a new ‘workfare’ regime (the ‘ W ork P rogramme’) defined by tougher state regulatory practices for those receiving out‐of‐work benefits. US ‐style mandatory community work programmes are being revived and expanded. This article, therefore, considers shifting public attitudes to work and welfare in B ritain and changing attitudes to working‐age welfare and out‐of‐work benefits in particular. It also considers the extent to which recent transformations of the state may be explained by declines in traditional labourist politics and class‐based solidarity. Thus, we attempt to develop a richer understanding of changing public attitudes towards welfare and the punitive regulatory ‘workfare’ practices engaged by the modern state in the liberal market economy; reflecting on the nature of the relations between ideology, party policies, popular attitudes and their political impact.