Discussion of the future of the Welfare State in Britain in European context.

Part A. Income Inequality and Poverty in Britain and Europe: 1. What is happening to the distribution of income in the UK?; 2. Income distribution in European countries with L. Rainwater and T. Smeeding; 3. Poverty statistics and progress in Europe; 4. Comparing poverty rates internationally: recent studies in OECD countries; 5. Two nations in early retirement? The case of Britain with H. Sutherland; Part B. Analysis of the Welfare State: 6. Is the Welfare State necessarily a barrier to economic growth?; 7. A national minimum? A history of ambiguity in the determination of benefit scales in Britain; 8. The development of state pensions in the United Kingdom; 9. Income maintenance for the unemployed in Britain and the response to high unemployment; 10. Institutional features of unemployment insurance and the working of the labour market; 11. Social insurance; Part C. Targeting and the Future of Social Security Policy: 12. On targeting and family benefits; 13. The Western experience with social safety nets; 14. Towards a European safety net? 15. Beveridge, the national minimum and its future in a European context; 16. State pensions for today and tomorrow; Bibliography.