The origins of the British welfare state : society, state, and social welfare in England and Wales, 1800-1945 /

Harris (Univ. of Southampton) chronologically explores various aspects of the origins of the British welfare state. Topics include the poor laws, charity, medicine and health, housing, education and schooling, and state intervention. The author states that "although there has been a considerable reaction against state-centered approaches to the history of social welfare, the growth of state intervention is still the most important single feature of the history of welfare provision between 1800 and 1945, and one of the main aims of this study is to understand and explain the reasons for this." Harris summarizes the scholarly controversies on the subject, and his well-written, clearly presented work is both a historical and bibliographical review. There are numerous useful tables and charts, though often thick with detail. Nearly 70 pages of endnotes and 7 of select bibliography guide readers toward further investigation. Harris has made a valuable contribution to questions of social welfare not only in England and Wales, but also in general. ^BSumming Up: Recommended. Scholars, graduate students, and advanced undergraduates. M. Swartz University of Massachusetts at Amherst