Kurzbeschreibung:

Makes a gripping human story out of the wisest and most progressive policy achievement of any government in the history of the world ... the welfare state deserves books this good Stuart Maconie, New Statesman, Books of the Year

A brilliant book, full of little revelations Jon Cruddas, Prospect

Carefully argued, deftly balanced and wittily written, with countless lovely details Dominic Sandbrook, Sunday Times

A landmark book from a remarkable new historian, on a subject that has never been more important - or imperilled
Today, everybody seems to agree that something has gone badly wrong with the British welfare state. In the midst of economic crisis, politicians and commentators talk about benefits as a lifestyle choice, and of skivers living off hard-working strivers as they debate what a welfare state fit for the twenty-first century might look like....