Author Description

The state of intellectual ferment surrounding the reform of the welfare state is described by Professor Alan Deacon in his introduction to this volume as a revolution in thought, comparable with that earlier revolution which led to the creation of cradle-to-grave welfare in the years following World War II. The challenge of thinking the unthinkable is being met by thinkers across the political spectrum and Frank Field, Minister for Welfare Reform, can claim much of the credit for stimulating debate about the future of the welfare state on the left. In Stakeholder Welfare he puts the case for a radical overhaul of the system to harness self-interest by extending the scope of contributory benefits. He calls his proposals 'stakeholder welfare' because individuals will own the welfare capital created by their contributions and those of their employers. In common with some other publications in the Choice in Welfare series, the purpose of Stakeholder Welfare is to make available in an accessible format the main points of view on a given issue. This collection is designed especially for students of social sciences in universities and sixth forms, and to that end Field's proposals are discussed by critics from a variety of standpoints. Frank Fields' response to his critics makes Stakeholder Welfare a valuable indicator of the main intellectual currents in the welfare reform project. "Mr Field...argues that the age of large-scale redistribution of wealth has gone. He says: 'Politicians who argue otherwise are a public menace'" The Times. "...provides an excellent introduction to the most important question of the next century - how to shape the welfare state" Fabian Review. "Frank Field is the only able politician who is prepared to say bold things about [social security]" Community Care. "Does anyone in Britain know more about social security than Frank Field?" The Tablet.