Pictures of Welfare

The title Pictures of Welfare refers to the idea that those who engage with social problems, whether inside or outside the academy, usually have a vision of the kind of social relations they want to promote. Professor Lewis's argument supports the view that the way in which ideas about social issues are played out politically and rooted institutionally is crucial to understanding policy-making. The body of her lecture identifies three 'pictures of welfare': two historical (at the turn of the last century and during the period of 'the classic welfare state' from 1945 to the 1970s), and the current one, which is under construction. Professor Lewis pursues three main themes: the changing balance between the different elements in the mixed economy of social provision, particularly between the voluntary sector and the state; the changing nature of the relationship between the individual, the state, and the market; and the issue of purpose, moral and ethical.