The author reviews the history of social spending in the UK after WWII how the capitalist ruling class saved capitalism which was threatened by worker aspirations for socialism.
The welfare state was a legacy of the second world war. After the misery of the great depression and the slaughter that followed, people demanded change: the welfare of people, including working-class people, was to be central. Millions demanded socialism – and the welfare state was what we got.Now with the capitalists running up huge debts from their reckless bets at their capitalist casinos, they feel that they can no longer afford the welfare state.
The authors sees the cutbacks as impacting women and families the most.
It has been noted that families with children will bear the brunt of cuts, while the childless two-income family will not. It is the carer who will carry the heaviest load because she has the greater responsibility. And not only for children who will lose education and other allowances, but for relatives with disabilities and pensioner parents whose local services will either be directly cut or contracted out, to be done by workers paid slave wages not to care, but to meet targets.