Covering the period since the end of the Second World War, this book focuses on the Welfare State to explore the myths that have shaped popular conceptions of social policy. It includes a chapter covering New Labour's policy in the twenty-first century and features chapters, tables, charts and select bibliography.

This is a new edition of one of the most widely used texts on the history of social policy. Covering the period from the end of the Second World War to the present day, Howard Glennerster focuses on the Welfare State to explore the myths that have shaped popular conceptions of social policy, and which continue to dominate current debates. From the earliest days of the welfare state, to New Labour's reform commitments for the new century, Glennerster concludes that social policy can only ever be understood in the context of the political and economic concerns of the time. For this new edition the author provides a new final chapter covering New Labour's policy in the twenty-first century and updates the book's earlier chapters, tables, charts and select bibliography.

List of Figures and Tables
Acknowledgements
1 The British Welfare State:
Origins and Myths
2 Beveridge: Founding Father?
3 The Right to Health, Knowledge, Food, Shelter and Work, 1945 - 51
4 The New Conservatism and Social Policy, 1951 - 64
5 Completing the Post-war Agenda 1964 - 76, Part One: the Poor and the Poorest
6 Completing the Post-war Agenda 1964 - 76,
Part Two: From Equal Access to Equality?
7 Morality, Family and the State: the Legacy of the Sixties
8 The Party Over, 1976 - 88
9 New Directions, 1988 - 97
10 Sixty Years On
Appendix: Social Policy Ministries and Ministers 1940 - 2006
Bibliography
Index