Welfare system

The origins of modern welfare was published in July 2010, by Peter Lang.  The publisher and I agreed at the time of publication that our contractual agreement would expire after ten years, and the rights would revert to me.  I am taking the opportunity now to make this work freely available, on a Creative Commons licence.

The book contains modern English versions of two documents from the early sixteenth century, which have some claim to be the earliest ever studies made in the field of social policy.  The De Subventione Pauperum, by Juan-Luis Vives, was a commissioned academic report, written for the Senate of Bruges, and published in 1525.  It represents, a watershed in thinking about governance, social responsibility and public policy. In Book 2 it proposes a comprehensive civic organisation of welfare services. 

A video of the 'Shame, Poverty and Health' seminar at the University of Exeter in July is now available to watch here.  The seminar explored the how poverty undermines individuals' wellbeing, confidence and dignity.

The final report from the PSE qualitative research on the reality of life on low income records how people's perpetual struggles to make meagre budgets stretch eventually this takes its toll on their lives.

Would an independent Scotland choose a significantly different social settlement with a more generous social minimum than the rest of the UK? Drawing on the PSE UK findings into attitudes to necessities, Nick Bailey investigates.