The Welfare State under Labour 1945-1951

Abstract

The present dissertation aims at analyzing the rise and fall of the British Social Reforms under the name of “the welfare state”, during the Labour Party Government in the period of 1945-51. This study is divided into three chapters. The first chapter focuses on the background or the atmosphere in which these proposed reforms were introduced, and directly the influence of these reforms on the results of the election to cause the shift to the Left. The second chapter explains the link between the Beveridge Report and Labour‟s Social Reforms. It includes three main assumptions proposed by Beveridge in his Report and adopted to be implemented by the Labour government to achieve Social Welfare. These proposals are: Social insurance, a Comprehensive Health Service and the maintenance of Employment. And finally, the third chapter discuses Housing and Education programmes.