Perspectives on Welfare

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This book offers an insightful exploration of welfare provision, making it a top choice for understanding American poverty theories. It addresses critical questions about how welfare benefits influence the attitudes and behaviors of claimants and whether entitlement should depend on good behavior. The text delves into the major intellectual influences shaping current welfare reforms in the UK and the US, examining the possibility of reforming welfare to combat both social inequality and dependency. The first part presents various perspectives on welfare, each based on different assumptions about its role and human motivation. Some views prioritize reducing inequalities, while others focus on minimizing welfare dependency. The second part connects current debates in Britain and the United States to these perspectives, arguing that discussions about inequality and dependency are complementary, addressing different aspects of the same issue. Overall, this engaging text is essential for students and educators in social policy, health, and social welfare, as well as anyone interested in the complexities of welfare reform. Its clarity and depth make it a valuable resource for understanding the future direction of welfare policy on both sides of the Atlantic.