University of Sussex
Browse

File(s) not publicly available

Three pillars of welfare state theory: T.H. Marshall, Karl Polanyi, and Alva Myrdal, in defence of the 'national' welfare state

journal contribution
posted on 2023-06-07, 23:48 authored by John Holmwood
Current social and political theory is sceptical of the future of welfare states in the face of global markets. Their moral claims, too, have been challenged by the neo-liberal association of market capitalism and individual freedom and by an implicit acceptance of that critique - of the welfare state as bureaucratic - by left-wing commentators. This article offers a defence of the national welfare state as the guarantor of `complex freedom'. This defence is derived from the theoretical contributions of Marshall, Polanyi and Myrdal and offers a reconsideration of the debate immediately after the second world war over the welfare state and its relevance today. Marshall's concept of social rights has become a familiar part of our own debate, but it is argued that Polanyi provides the rigorous critique of market relationships which is missing, and Myrdal locates gender issues as central to the understanding of welfare state development and women's rights as integral to social rights.

History

Publication status

  • Published

Journal

European Journal of Social Theory

ISSN

13684310

Publisher

SAGE

Issue

1

Volume

3

Page range

23 - 50

ISBN

1368-4310

Department affiliated with

  • Sociology and Criminology Publications

Full text available

  • No

Peer reviewed?

  • Yes

Legacy Posted Date

2012-02-06

Usage metrics

    University of Sussex (Publications)

    Categories

    No categories selected

    Exports

    RefWorks
    BibTeX
    Ref. manager
    Endnote
    DataCite
    NLM
    DC