Module Identifier HY38530  
Module Title FIGHTING THE FIVE GIANTS: WELFARE & SOCIETY IN MODERN BRITAI  
Academic Year 2005/2006  
Co-ordinator Dr Steven Thompson  
Semester Intended for use in future years  
Next year offered N/A  
Next semester offered N/A  
Course delivery Lecture    
  Seminars / Tutorials   Seminar.  
Assessment
Assessment TypeAssessment Length/DetailsProportion
Semester Exam3 Hours  60%
Semester Assessment Essay: 2 essays (1 x 4,000 words & 1 x 2,500 words)  40%

Brief description

This course will survey the history of the welfare state in early twentieth century Britain and will consider efforts to eradicate the five `giant evils? of Want, Ignorance, Disease, Squalor and Idleness. It will focus on these developments in their social, economic, political and demographic contexts. The extension of central government into various aspects of people'r lives was one of the central features of the twentieth century and the significance of social policies on the everyday lives of ordinary people will be considered. The extent to which transformations in standards of living can be attributed to government policies and actions will be evaluated but the course will also consider the costs of such large-scale government intervention. An important aspect of the course will be the examination of primary sources including official papers, social surveys and social policy tracts.

Notes

This module is at CQFW Level 6