Can the Welfare State Survive? (Global Futures) by Andrew Gamble

by Andrew Gamble

After the most serious economic crash since the 1930s and the slowest recovery on record, austerity rules. Spending on the welfare state did not cause the crisis, but deep cuts in welfare budgets has become the default policy response. The welfare state is seen as a burden on wealth creation which can no longer be afforded in an ever more competitive global economy. There are calls for it to be dismantled altogether.In this incisive book, leading political economist Andrew Gamble explains why western societies still need generous inclusive welfare states for all their citizens, and are rich enough to provide them. Welfare states can survive, he argues, but only if there is the political will to reform them and to fund them.

Genres: Economics

Hardcover

About the author

A review by his hand can be found here

Reviews

[John Reid · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sadly reads a bit like an undergraduate essay. It's all factually accurate, but makes almost no unique, interesting conclusions. The most interesting bit was the discussion on taxation - take from that what you will.

[Lewis Spencer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Things I took from this book:

4 chapters

1- Life and times of the welfare state provides a brief history of the welfare state in the UK from the Beveridge Report 1942 and the creation of the NHS in 1948 it described what led to the creation of the welfare states existence and the principles of it. To protect from want, idleness, disease, ignorance and squalor. Outlines the Cold War geopolitics and the current politics of austerity today.

2- The battle of ideas essentially outlines the arguments of neoliberalism and social democracy that they both fiercely put forward. The key message here is that there are some things that markets cannot achieve.

3- Four challenges are affordability, international competitiveness, social change (individualism), ageing. It can be done and there are excellent examples of welfare states that are competitive and modern. The Nordic model is one, Canada is very liberal, Switzerland promotes democracy. However, public goods are not free but we all benefit, we need to pay for them. The problem lies with whether we trust the government or agency that sets the price. We certainly do not trust insurance companies and energy firms for example. Do we believe that the institution is providing the service at a competitive price to the customer?

4- The conclusion suggests a redesign of the welfare state away from means tests towards universal basic income and capital grants- I would like to explore how this would work in detail . Also, labour, housing, and financial markets regulation to decrease inequality alongside the regulation of large companies. Sadly too, the scapegoating of immigrants for the problems of the economy and inequality. The majority of migrants aim to work and provide for their family not to drain the host country.

I think humans as a species have always wanted to pool risks, live in communities and defend each other even when it does not benefit themselves to do so.