Sidney and Beatrice Webb: An Academic Biography (Great Thinkers in Economics)

This book examines the economic, social and political thought of two highly influential cross-disciplinary contributors to the debate in the United Kingdom about welfare economics, social welfare, nationalisation and public policy. Active between the 1880s and the 1930s, their many books, papers, lectures and speeches shaped the discourse on heterodox economics, social democracy and the managed economy. The Webbs sat on Royal Commissions, permeated local and central government, and were instrumental in the creation of the London School of Economics. This book discusses and assesses their contribution to the broad topics of inequality, poverty, unemployment, freedom, capitalism, socialism, constitutional reform, social evolution and the historical school. Issues such as these remain at the forefront of contemporary discussions not just in Britain but throughout the world. Also by David Reisman Contents Chapter 1: Introduction Chapter 2: Towards the Partnership 1 Sidney Before Beatrice 2 Beatrice Before Sidney 3 Married into Reform 3.1 Joseph Chamberlain 3.2 Sidney Webb 4 Two Become One 5 A Joint Effort References By S. Webb By B. Webb By S. and B. Webb By Other Authors Chapter 3: The Firm of Webb 1 The London County Council 2 The London School of Economics 3 Marketing the Truth 4 The Webbs Abroad 5 From the Minority Report to the War 6 Westminster and Beyond References By Sidney Webb By Beatrice Webb By Sidney and Beatrice Webb By Other Authors Chapter 4: The Fabian Way 1 The Fabian Society 2 Sidney Webb: The Fabian Agenda 3 Sidney Webb: The Fabian Essay References By S. Webb By B. Webb By S. and B. Webb By Other Authors Chapter 5: A Social Economy 1 Marshall’s Economics 2 Neoclassical Economics 3 Marxian Economics 4 Historical Economics 4.1 Time and Change 4.2 National Economics 5 The Webbs and the Heterodox References By S. Webb By B. Webb By S. and B. Webb By other authors Chapter 6: Cooperation 1 The Cooperative Ideal 2 The Consumer Cooperative 2.1 Internal Democracy 2.2 Economic Performance 2.3 Bootstrap Economics 3 The Producer Cooperative 3.1 The Idea 3.2 The Practice 4 The State as a Consumer Cooperative 4.1 Legitimation 4.2 An Agenda for the State 4.3 Local Government 4.4 The Nation References By S. Webb By B. Webb By S. and B. Webb By Other Authors Chapter 7: The Factor Labour 1 The Average Sensual Man 1.1 The Present 1.2 The Future 2 The Intellectual Lead 3 The Unions 3.1 Collective Bargaining 3.2 The Managed Market 4 The Just Wage 5 Union Democracy 6 Labour and Politics 7 The Average Sensual Politician References By S. Webb By B. Webb By S. and B. Webb By Other Authors Chapter 8: Poverty 1 The Poor Law Amendment Act 2 Towards the Minority Report 2.1 W.L. Phillips and Sidney Webb 2.2 A Changing Britain 3 The Minority Report 3.1 The Commission 3.2 The Webbs and Their Report 4 Workhouse and Welfare 4.1 The Will of the People 4.2 One Nation References By S. Webb By B. Webb By S. and B. Webb By Other Authors Chapter 9: State and Welfare 1 The Cause 2 The Cure 2.1 The Voluntary Sector 2.2 The State Sector 3 Coordination and Consistency 4 Rights and Duties 5 A National Minimum 6 Whose Welfare State? 6.1 The Community 6.2 The Individual References By S. Webb By B. Webb By S. and B. Webb By Other Authors Chapter 10: Unemployment 1 A Social Disease 2 Social Services 3 Direct Employment 4 National Assistance 5 A Strict Regime 6 National Insurance References By B. Webb By S. and B. Webb By Other Authors Chapter 11: Capitalism: Decline and Fall 1 Capitalism in Decay 2 The British Experience 3 From Early Capitalism to Late 4 Capital and Control 5 Poverty and Inequality 6 Consumer Choice 6.1 Social Symbols 6.2 The Fullness of Life 7 Total Demand 7.1 Say’s Law 7.2 Macroeconomic Policy 7.3 Export Demand 7.4 An Achilles Heel 8 ‘A Moral Miasma’ 8.1 Ethical Constraint 8.2 British Liberalism 8.3 Decay and Rebirth References By S. Webb By B. Webb By S. and B. Webb By Other Authors Chapter 12: Political Economy 1 The Primacy of Politics 2 The Old Politics 3 The New Politics 4 Majority Rule 5 The Managed Economy 6 Towards Fellowship References By S. Webb By B. Webb By S. and B. Webb By Other Authors Chapter 13: Soviet Communism 1 From Caution to Conviction 1.1 Caution 1.2 Conviction 2 Crossing the Bar 2.1 Conversion 2.2 Continuity 3 Experts and Leaders 3.1 Party and People 3.2 Power 4 Economic Policy 4.1 The Common End 4.2 Initiative and Equality 4.3 Social Sanctions 4.4 The Plan 5 Social Policy References By S. Webb By B. Webb By S. and B. Webb By Other Authors Chapter 14: The Legacy 1 Theory and Practice 2 History Goes Left 3 Revealing and Persuading References By S. Webb By B. Webb By S. and B. Webb By Other Authors Index