Championing the ground-breaking achievements of the welfare state through his own personal experiences, Stuart Maconie mounts a persuasive argument for the preservation of the post-war social project.
'He is as funny as Bryson and as wise as Orwell' - The Observer
It was the spirit of our finest hour, the backbone of our post-war greatness, and it promoted some of the boldest and most brilliant schemes this isle has ever produced: it was the Welfare State, and it made you and I. But now it's under threat, and we need to save it. In this timely and provocative book, Stuart Maconie tells Britain's Welfare State story through his own history of growing up as a northern working class boy.
What was so bad about properly funded hospitals, decent working conditions and affordable houses? And what was so wrong about student grants, free eye tests and council houses? And where did it all go so wrong? Stuart looks toward Britain's future, making an emotional case for believing in more than profit and loss; and championing a just, fairer society.
Publisher: Ebury Publishing
ISBN: 9781529102413
Number of pages: 304
Weight: 544 g
Dimensions: 240 x 162 x 29 mm
Well, this is a very different kind of read for me, and it turned out to be far more political than I expected.
Stuart Maconie is slightly younger than I am, so much of what he says rings true and I can't...
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I'm of a similar age to Mr Maconie and happy to acknowledge the nanny state made me too. I found this a well written book, although repetitive at times, that made me stop and think how privileged I was to have... More
Our lives are full to the brim with knowledge and wondrous opportunities that aren’t down to private enterprise but to the unique faculties & provisions that the state has provided for decades. Generations of... More
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