ABSTRACT
Sidney and Beatrice Webb were among the founders of the welfare state. Much of their great work was concerned with preventing destitution, expanding the scope and raising the standard of education, providing a health service, finding alternatives to capitalism or remedying its defects, abolishing the poor law, and other large issues of social reform. The happiest individuals are those who have achieved a sound balance between the self-regarding and the other-regarding interests or activities of man in society. Hence the welfare state should aim at evolving a society in which the citizens can attain individual satisfaction and also contribute to collective or community welfare. Almost the only axiom in the British welfare state concerning the workers as such has been the responsibility of the government to maintain full employment. Beyond this no government of any political party has ventured.
