How recent social policy has become focussed on the individual. We explain why post war British welfare policies have changed our attitudes to those on lower incomes

The individualisation of social policy

The language used to describe poverty in the UK has a vital bearing on how welfare policy is implemented, and how policies are perceived by the wider population. The strivers versus skivers debate has framed much of the Government's current discussion, and this is part of a process of demonisation of the working classes that has been evolving over the last 75 years. In addition, the stereotyping of class away from a purely economic definition has masked the obvious social divisions which are opening up. Owen Jones, the author of "Chavs: The Demonisation of the Working Class", and OU Senior Lecturer Gerry Mooney join Geoff Andrews of the OU in discussion.

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The individualisation of social policy

The individualisation of social policy

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