The New Politics of Welfare: Social Justice in a Global Context (SAGE Politics Texts series) Book

The New Politics of Welfare provides a critical introduction to the current debates and politics surrounding welfare reform in the United Kingdom and the United States. By explaining the origins and main tenets of the new Blair-Clinton orthodoxy and comparing policy in Western Europe with the dilemmas facing the governments of Central and Eastern Europe, it is the first text to place the reform process in the context of the post-war state's development, and the present global political and economic situation. Central to the book is the emerging orthodoxy's appeal to the concept of social justice. Bill Jordan demonstrates how values derived from the family and voluntary associations are in danger of running counter to the more fundamental principles of liberal democracy and the requirements of transnational economic exchange.The book accessibly links the new politics of welfare to liberal and communitarian theories of citizenship and social justice, and assesses the broader prospects for European social policy in the struggle over economic and political integration.The New Politics of Welfare marks a major contribution to the current welfare debate. It will be a key text for all social science students and essential reading for anyone interested in the future of the welfare state.Read More