Product Description

Ever since 1942, when Sir William Beveridge first identified the "five evils" haunting Britain - want, disease, ignorance, squalor and idleness - and proposed that the government do something to combat each of them, the welfare state has been the most important, most controversial, most politicized, most expensive and most loved element in British public life. Even those who seek to dismantle it agree that it represents the British state's finest single achievement. It proves what can be done when the best intentions are allied with a strong political will and, of course, the cash of ordinary Britons. Beveridge was originally only supposed to sort out the web of insurance services stifling Britain. This book recounts how his original vision and campaign blossomed enormously to inspire a country at war with the hope that the peace might bring comfort and security for all. The tale thereafter hums with the energies and passions of activists, dreamers and ordinary Britons, and seethes with personal vendettas, forced compromises, arguments about money, awkward contradictions, noisy rows and fervent perseverance. The author, who has seen the welfare state work every day for the last two decades, assesses the key personalities, the key problems, the key victories and key defeats in this anecdotal study of the welfare state, from the 1940s to the present day.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #714678 in Books
• Published on: 1995-07-27
• Original language: English
• Binding: Hardcover
• 600 pages

Customer Reviews

Easy & Interesting (a first for Social Policy History!!)
This is really well written - it sums up the welfare state and social policy issues really well, it covers the history of welfare and sounds really boring!! It's not - it's actually one of few social policy/welfare books that is quite easy going! It isn't 'textbook' style, more like 'story' style really! Many social policy courses will refer to Timmins and I would highly recommend having this book on your shelf :-)

A readable introduction to social policy
'Five Giants' is an immensely readable history. Its intrinsic value is two-fold. Firstly, it is an invaluable source for placing modern approaches to social policy in their historical context. Secondly, it is as much a study of the life cycle of ideas as it is a narrative history, and, emphasises the extent to which many politicians of whichever party adopt, or try to adopt, similar solutions to the same problems, whether because of external contraints or reasons of practicality. In short, 'Five Giants' is an excellent appraisal of the obstacles and challenges faced by UK policy-makers since 1945 in the sphere of social policy.

Fantastic for students of British social/political history
This book is one of the best that I have read in a long time. If you are looking for an in-depth, yet readable history of the Welfare State from its conception through to 1980s/1990s, then this is the book to read. Dates, personalities, ideology, all in an easily digestible, yet intellectually fulfilling package.