Eleven Social policy since 1979: a view from the right
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David Marsland
Abstract
This chapter discusses social policy since 1979, and views the welfare state changes that were made over the past quarter century. It looks at an account of Mrs Thatcher’s social policy crusade, and then discusses the contribution of John Major. It identifies Major’s administration as the one that implemented a lot of the most significant reforms of the Conservatives. It was also responsible for joining them into a ‘coherent national framework’ that had both central government frameworking and local competitive autonomy. The chapter ends with a discussion of the Conservative welfare legacy under New Labour.
Abstract
This chapter discusses social policy since 1979, and views the welfare state changes that were made over the past quarter century. It looks at an account of Mrs Thatcher’s social policy crusade, and then discusses the contribution of John Major. It identifies Major’s administration as the one that implemented a lot of the most significant reforms of the Conservatives. It was also responsible for joining them into a ‘coherent national framework’ that had both central government frameworking and local competitive autonomy. The chapter ends with a discussion of the Conservative welfare legacy under New Labour.
Chapters in this book
- Front Matter i
- Contents iii
- Notes on contributors v
- Introduction 1
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Developments in UK social policy
- Housing policy: coming in from the cold? 13
- The NHS in England: from modernisation to marketisation? 29
- Developments in social security 45
- The rise of the meritocracy? New Labour and education in the second term 61
- The personal social services 81
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Social policy in the wider context
- ‘Scottish solutions to Scottish problems’? Social welfare in Scotland since devolution 101
- The primacy of ideology: social policy and the first term of the National Assembly for Wales 121
- Attlee versus Blair: Labour governments and progressive social policy in historical perspective 143
- Christian democracy, social democracy and the continental ‘welfare without work’ syndrome 167
- Activation through thick and thin: progressive approaches to labour market activation 187
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Social policy since 1979 – the impact of Thatcherism
- Social policy since 1979: a view from the right 211
- Mrs Thatcher’s legacy: getting it in perspective 231
- Privatisation, privatisation, privatisation: the British welfare state since 1979 251
- Social policy since 1979: a view from the USA 271
- Index 291
Chapters in this book
- Front Matter i
- Contents iii
- Notes on contributors v
- Introduction 1
-
Developments in UK social policy
- Housing policy: coming in from the cold? 13
- The NHS in England: from modernisation to marketisation? 29
- Developments in social security 45
- The rise of the meritocracy? New Labour and education in the second term 61
- The personal social services 81
-
Social policy in the wider context
- ‘Scottish solutions to Scottish problems’? Social welfare in Scotland since devolution 101
- The primacy of ideology: social policy and the first term of the National Assembly for Wales 121
- Attlee versus Blair: Labour governments and progressive social policy in historical perspective 143
- Christian democracy, social democracy and the continental ‘welfare without work’ syndrome 167
- Activation through thick and thin: progressive approaches to labour market activation 187
-
Social policy since 1979 – the impact of Thatcherism
- Social policy since 1979: a view from the right 211
- Mrs Thatcher’s legacy: getting it in perspective 231
- Privatisation, privatisation, privatisation: the British welfare state since 1979 251
- Social policy since 1979: a view from the USA 271
- Index 291
