7 Liberalising the poor
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Mark Henrickson
Abstract
Social welfare reforms and the social imaginary of responses to the poor effectively came full circle during the 20th century. Calvinist-informed classical liberalism gave way to the welfare state in the UK and an increased role for government assistance in the US. During the reconstruction of the UK following the Second World War, the welfare state took over the functions of social assistance in much the same way as it had throughout Europe after the Great Plague of 1347–50; the Established (Anglican) Church formally acknowledged that reality in 1948 and ended the Constantinian contract. In the US, psychiatric social work came to dominate. The New Deal increased the role of the state in caring for the aged, the infirm, and employed the unemployed. Neoliberalism resulted in a civic retheologising of social assistance throughout most Western liberal economies, including Latin American nations. Order was maintained by enforcing conformity to dominant social values up to and including incarceration. As poor relief was taken up by secular authorities after the Great Plague of the mid-14th century, so the responsibility for establishing and maintaining social control was taken up by states who used the power of poor relief to enforce approved morals and behaviour.
Abstract
Social welfare reforms and the social imaginary of responses to the poor effectively came full circle during the 20th century. Calvinist-informed classical liberalism gave way to the welfare state in the UK and an increased role for government assistance in the US. During the reconstruction of the UK following the Second World War, the welfare state took over the functions of social assistance in much the same way as it had throughout Europe after the Great Plague of 1347–50; the Established (Anglican) Church formally acknowledged that reality in 1948 and ended the Constantinian contract. In the US, psychiatric social work came to dominate. The New Deal increased the role of the state in caring for the aged, the infirm, and employed the unemployed. Neoliberalism resulted in a civic retheologising of social assistance throughout most Western liberal economies, including Latin American nations. Order was maintained by enforcing conformity to dominant social values up to and including incarceration. As poor relief was taken up by secular authorities after the Great Plague of the mid-14th century, so the responsibility for establishing and maintaining social control was taken up by states who used the power of poor relief to enforce approved morals and behaviour.
Kapitel in diesem Buch
- Front Matter i
- Contents ix
- Acknowledgements xi
- Introduction 1
- A royal responsibility 18
- Inventing the poor 42
- Reforming the poor 67
- Capitalising the poor 94
- Industrialising the poor 121
- Liberalising the poor 154
- Professionalising work with the poor 180
- A global perspective 198
- Creating a global future 214
- References 224
- Index 246
Kapitel in diesem Buch
- Front Matter i
- Contents ix
- Acknowledgements xi
- Introduction 1
- A royal responsibility 18
- Inventing the poor 42
- Reforming the poor 67
- Capitalising the poor 94
- Industrialising the poor 121
- Liberalising the poor 154
- Professionalising work with the poor 180
- A global perspective 198
- Creating a global future 214
- References 224
- Index 246
