Beverifge Welfare State - Essay Example

It is in line that Beveridge sought to evaluate and assess the society in terms of the determinants of welfare in the society. Beveridge’s efforts resulted in a critical conclusion in relation to the need for the state to become a welfare state. The unfolding events of the 1940s as observed by Beveridge mobilized the United Kingdom towards becoming a welfare state. Beveridge studied the social, economic, and political environment in United Kingdom and identified "Five Giant Evils", namely: squalor, ignorance, want, idleness, and disease (Powell, 2009, p.2). What followed this outcome was the need to reform the social welfare system in line with addressing each of the identified evils.

Forming the United Kingdom welfare state in the 1940s was informed by a number of principles that were derived from the "Five Giant Evils", the primary objective being to address health care, employment and unemployment, education, social equality, retirement, and poverty concerns in the society (Powell & Hendricks, 2009, p.72). Access to medical insurance and medical care was one of the contributing principles to the formation of the welfare state. Poor populations were observed to have inadequate medical attention due to the fact that they could not afford to pay for the services they needed.

Health insurance available to the society was also relatively costly, and only relatively well-off people could afford it. Following this, it was fundamental to reform the social welfare system to address the problem. Taking reforms in that line had to establish a welfare state, where every individual would have access to health insurance and care. Employment was another principle that shaped the formation of the welfare state. Employment opportunities were relatively low and unevenly distributed.

Employment was characterized by inequality in terms of access. Human wants were going up, while the higher social class individuals in the society became more ignorant. Squalor and idleness practices made the situation even worse, making it necessary to address employment concerns. Diseases also kept a significant portion of the society out of the labour force due to deteriorated health status, a scenario that needed to be reversed. Education and the need to address poverty levels were not left out in bid to form a welfare state.

Literacy levels needed to be enhanced and further contribute to individual knowledge and skills in and out of work situations. Poverty was on the rise due to the difficulties that were being experienced in the job market, health care sector, and unequal distribution of opportunities in the society (Bartholomew, 2006, p.416). As a result, the principle of education and poverty eradiation significantly contributed to the formation of the welfare state in the United Kingdom. The primary objective of the welfare state was to promote social welfare in the account of all the above mentioned principles, by embracing Beveridge’s proposed social welfare system reforms.

The principles that informed the formation of the welfare state in the 1940s continue to influence social policing making today. Social policy development is deeply rooted in social welfare pursuits, characterized by education, healthcare, employment and unemployment, poverty prevention and eradication, equality in opportunity access, and equal distribution of wealth concerns (Peter, 2011, p.23). The state plays a crucial role in addressing the underlying concerns in each