This volume brings together a selection of Richard Titmuss's most important writings on a range of key social policy issues, together with commentary on these from contemporary experts in the field.

Richard Titmuss was Professor of Social Administration at the London School of Economics from 1950 until his death in 1973. His publications on welfare and social policy were radical and wide-ranging, spanning fields such as demography, class inequalities in health, social work, and altruism. Titmuss's work played a critical role in establishing the study of social policy as a scientific discipline; it helped to shape the development of the British Welfare State and influenced thinking about social policy worldwide This book brings together a selection of his most important writings on a range of key social policy issues, together with commentary on these from contemporary experts in the field. The book should be read by undergraduate and postgraduate students in social policy and sociology, for many of whom Titmuss remains compulsory reading. It should be of interest to academics and other policy analysts as well as students and academics in political science and social work.

Contents: Introduction
Part I: The family, poverty and population
'The nation's wealth' from Parents revolt
'The summation of poverty' from Poverty and population
'A measurement of human progress' from Birth, poverty and wealth
'The statistics of parenthood' from Rebuilding family life in the post-war world
'The position of women' from Essays on the welfare state
Commentary by Ann Oakley
Part II: The 'welfare state'
'Unfinished business' from Problems of social policy
'War and social policy' from The philosophy of welfare
'The social division of welfare' from The philosophy of welfare
'The welfare state: images and realities' from The social service review
Commentary by Tanja Burchardt
Part III: Redistribution, universality and inequality
'The role of redistribution in social policy' from The philosophy of welfare
'Welfare state and welfare society' from Commitment to welfare
'Social welfare and the art of giving' from The philosophy of welfare
Commentary by John Hills
Part IV: Fiscal and occupational welfare and the myth of economic man
'The irresponsible society' from The philosophy of welfare
'The need for a new approach' from Income distribution and social change
Commentary by Adrian Sinfield
Part V: Social policy and social work as subjects
'The subject of social administration' from Commitment to welfare
'What is social policy?' from Social policy: An introduction
'Values and choices' from The nation
Commentary by Pete Alcock
Part VI: International aspects of social policy
'The international perspective' from Social policy: An introduction
'Developing social policy in conditions of rapid change: the role of social welfare' from The philosophy of welfare
'Major goals in today's welfare state' from Seminar on objectives of social services in Israel
Commentary by Howard Glennerster.