Research Paper on UK Welfare State: Quality Healthcare, Social Security & Education

Introduction

The British welfare state refers to the expenditures incurred by the United Kingdom (UK) for the purposes of providing quality healthcare, social security, and education as well as decent employment (Lowe, 1998). The British welfare system is usually regarded as a liberal system. The welfare state of the UK involves a comprehensive benefits system and social care, which was developed and modified many times since its beginnings. The welfare state was formed with the intention of forming a government that promotes and protects the social-wellbeing and economic prosperity of the people (Powell, 2008).

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Besides, The British welfare was formed based on the principles of equal distribution of resources and equal opportunities for all as well as the public responsibility of availing citizens with the minimal provisions of a decent life. Also, the welfare was formed on the basis of the ideologies of capitalism, democracy, as well as welfare for all citizens (Mommsen, 2018). The welfare state has led to positive impacts such as a decrease in the poverty indexes, reduced public debt, improved education standards as well as better living standards, and improved healthcare. However, the delivery, functions, as well as the provision of the British welfare state has been influenced by other factors such as the emergence of the New Right ideologies and the adoption of a capitalism approach as opposed to a communist one.

Historical Development of the Welfare State

The development of the welfare state is traced back to during World war when a committee was set up to look at strategies and ways of improving the living standards of the British people. A committee was formed during World War 2, which formed suggestions and recommendations that were referred to as the Beveridge report (Powell, 2008). One of the greatest recommendations by the Beveridge report was the formation of a government that would be on the benefits system so as to get their people out of poverty.

However, the ideology of welfare was developed from the first chancellor of Germany Otto Von Bismarck. The chancellor formed a welfare state by developing a tradition of welfare programs in Saxony during the 1840s (Jones & Lowe, 2002). The ideas of Bismarck led to the formation of the welfare state in other parts of the world, such as the US and the UK, during the times of the Great Depression.

The British welfare state was formed on the concept of a government where social organizations and the state participates in the key role of the economy of the British citizens (Lowe, 1998). Some of the principles that formed the basis of the British welfare state include the principles of equality, distribution of resources as well as the development of public accountability for individuals and leaders that are unable to offer a good life to their people.

Other principles that formed a basis for the development of the welfare state included social policies such as protection of British citizens against insecurities and the risks which most individuals face in their lives as well as the promotion of equal opportunities for all citizens and the alleviation of poverty (Mommsen, 2018). The poor laws began in 1834 where parishes were grouped into unions that were required to build a workhouse. The poor laws were enacted through an Act of parliament by the United Kingdom government and were passed during the Whig government of Earl Grey (Ingle, 2008). Poor people were allowed to leave their homes and go to the workhouses.

The poor laws were meant for the reduction of the cost of looking for individuals as well as providing a system that would be the same all over the country. (Goodin, & Le Grand, 2018).

The Beveridge report was named after William Beveridge and acted as the guideline for the post-world war two welfare states that was put in place in 1945 by the labor government (Ansell, 2016). The report focused on providing a comprehensive system of social insurance. The Beveridge report suggested that all people who held decent jobs should pay weekly contributions to the state.

The contributions made by the working class would be used to offer benefits such as quality education and improved healthcare to the sick, the widowed, unemployed, as well as the retired. The Beveridge report was implemented through government policies at the end of World War 2. The report would be implemented through government policies that would be used to promote social and economic progression.

Reasons Why the Welfare State Has Changed

The welfare state was formed on the basis of equitable distribution and equal chances for all British citizens. However, the welfare state has changed due to many factors in the modern world that are social, political as well as economic factors (Ingle, 2008). The main functions of the British welfare state included the provision of social security, full employment, the maintenance of peace and order as well as the provision of education and health for all people. The functions of the welfare state can be categorized into various categories that include regulative, welfare as well as protective roles.

Protective functions of the British welfare included the protection of territorial integrity, regulation of markets and trade, maintenance of a sound network as well as regulations while conducting foreign relation activities with other countries. Some of the principles that formed the basis of the British welfare state include the principles of equality, distribution of resources as well as the development of public accountability for individuals and leaders that are unable to offer a good life to their people. Regulative functions of the welfare state included the prevention of the exploitation of laborers through passing necessary laws, maintenance of law, and order as well as curbing anti-social activities and elements (Nowakowska, 2018).

Welfare functions for the welfare state included aspects such as ensuring good working conditions for workers, the introduction of land reforms, reduction of economic inequalities, as well as the eradication of contagious diseases such as cholera and malaria. Other functions that were performed by the welfare state include aspects such as the provision of education, protecting the rights of people, and providing justice to them as well as the encouragement of commerce, trade, and industry among the British people. However, the functions of the welfare state have changed over time, with various key ideas questioning the role of the welfare state (Barry, 2019).

For instance, The UK government introduced the military that deals with territorial borders, thus relieving off the welfare of those duties. Also, the responsibility of educating children has been shifted from welfare to individual parents, thus changing the way the welfare state is run. Besides, over the years, there have been changes in the structure of the government, thus leading to changes in the roles of the welfare state (Nowakowska, 2018). Government structures such as the department of health have taken up the roles of eradication of diseases.

The ideology of capitalism is one of the greatest factors that have led to the change in the welfare state. For instance, in the 1840s, the British people embraced a communist approach where the employed would work and contribute for the sake of the unemployed. However, the approach has been abandoned over the years, and people work for their own good and that of their families. The working class no longer contributes to those without jobs but instead pay taxes. The impact of post-war social, economic, and political factors has also led to changes within the welfare state. For instance, the economy of the United Kingdom has improved over the years, with the majority of the people securing decent jobs and thus is able to take care of themselves.

Influence of Contemporary Political Thinking on Delivery and Provision of Welfare

The political thinking and ideologies developed ever time have had an impact in the provision and delivery of welfare in various ways. For instance, the restructuring of the UK government has led to a change in the roles of the welfare state. Besides, the development of factors such as the New Right ideology has had a big impact and influence on the provision of welfare.

New Right Ideology

The New Right ideology refers to the various right-wing political formations and policies in a country. The emergence of the ideology of the New Right is one of the contemporary thinking that influenced the delivery and provision of the welfare state. For instance, the principle of New Right led to the formation of the European Union (EU) after the fall of the Soviet Union, thus leading to a change in the delivery and functioning of the welfare state (Thane, 2016). Besides, the ideology advocated that individuals should be allowed to pay for the services they wish.

However, that was against the spirit of the welfare state since it required individuals to work and then contribute so that the resources could be equitably shared among all citizens in the country. The welfare involved a comprehensive benefits system and social care, which was developed and modified many times since its beginnings. Besides, the ideology of the New Right suggests the principles of free markets in all aspects of the economy. For instance, in the education sector, public spending should be reduced, and education should be given to the willing and able rather than involve everyone at the cost of the country.

Besides, individuals who believed in the ideologies of New Right are of the opinion that educational policies should be ones that increase choice with market principles so as to raise the standards (Thane, 2016). The communist approach has been abandoned over the years, and people work for their own good and that of their families. The working class no longer contributes to those without jobs but instead pay taxes.

For instance, if a particular school is successful, it will attract children and parents for the reason it is successful. Some of the examples of the people who believed in the ideologies of Right-Wing included conservatives, classical liberals, Christians, nationalists, as well as democrats. From the economic perspective, the ideologies of New Right advocated for a market controlled by forces of demand and supply, higher indirect taxation, increased deregulation, and reduction of the size of the welfare state as well as encouraging privatization.

However, the principles were different from those recommended by the British welfare state, thus influencing the delivery, function, and provision of the British welfare state. Therefore, the shift from communism to capitalism approach was one of the greatest contributors and influences in the delivery and functions as well as the provision of the British welfare state. Political ideologies and religion also played a part in the manner in which the welfare state delivered its functions. The emergence of the ideology of the New Right is one of the contemporary thinking that influenced the delivery and provision of the welfare state.

Conclusion

The British welfare system is usually regarded as a liberal system and involves a comprehensive benefits system and social care, which was developed and modified many times since its beginnings. Also, the welfare was formed on the basis of the ideologies of capitalism, democracy, as well as welfare for all citizens. The welfare state has led to positive impacts such as a decrease in the poverty indexes, reduced public debt, improved education standards as well as better living standards, and improved healthcare. The development of the welfare state is traced back to during World war when a committee was set up to look at strategies...