Synopses & Reviews
Brian Abel-Smith was one of the most influential figures in the shaping of social welfare in the twentieth century. A modern day Thomas Paine, the British economist and expert advisor was driven to improve the lives of the poor, working with groups like the World Health Organization, International Labour Organization, and the World Bank to help bring health and social welfare services to millions across the globe.and#160;
The Passionate Economistand#160;is the first biography to chronicle his life and the many programs he helped create.
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Sally Sheard details Abel-Smithand#8217;s work as an economist and advocate, setting it against the backdrop of the larger history of health and social welfare development since the 1950s. She analyzes these developments and the effects that long-running welfare debates have had on both poverty and state responses to it. She compares welfare implementation in different developing countries and examines how it was administered by the agencies for which Abel-Smith worked. The result is an accessible book on a leading humanitarian and, through him, a history of exactly how we have cared for each other in the globalized era.
Review
and#8220;Deserves to find its way onto many peopleand#8217;s shelves . . . not just the historians of health and welfare but anyone interested in questions of social justice.and#8221;
Review
and#8220;How 'academic' knowledge and research actually impact on policy has always been a challenging question. Brian Abel-Smith's career as a scholar, networker, entrepreneur, and shaper of global health and welfare systems provides a fascinating and important case-study. In skilfully weaving together the evidence from personal and professional archives, Sheard's book allows us to understand much more about a man who had an extraordinary influence on public policy.and#8221;
Review
andldquo;This fascinating book brought Brian Abel-Smith alive again for me. I knew him only in the later stages of his career, but the text made me recall his warmth, personal support, and incisive mind.andrdquo;and#160;
Review
andldquo;As the dismantling of the National Health Service as we have known it proceeds apace, this biography brings alive a pivotal figure in its development since the 1950s. It reminds us of the strengths of the health and social welfare systems, which we have taken too much for granted. Hopefully it will help inspire their reinstatement.andrdquo;and#160;
Review
and#8220;This book has many of the qualities possessed by Brian Abel-Smith, its subject: lively, stimulating, and committed. Brian was a citizen of the world, one who not only bridged international boundaries but also those of policy, politics, and academe. And Sheard has done this remarkable manand#160;justice by producing a remarkable biography.and#8221;
Review
and#8220;As a result of her exhaustive research and with insightful writing, Sheard brings readers the life and work of an influential activist intellectual. Brian Abel-Smith set standards for conducting research on health services and systems, advising policy makers, governing healthcare organizations, and participating in an international network dedicated to improving the human condition.and#8221;
Review
and#8220;Sheardand#8217;s biography is a pleasure to read and a fascinating account of the public intellectual role that Brian Abel-Smith played in welfare state policy and politics both at home and abroad.and#8221;
Review
andldquo;Here was a character so rich and complex that the life itself would illuminate much about British and international health and welfare. Sheard has amply fulfilled this promise. . . . A very full biography with much fine detail. . . . The Passionate Economist stimulates salutary reflection for all of us concerned to make history more policy relevant. What politicians really need, on this evidence, is first pragmatic advice on the framing and costing of policies, and then the nous to help steer them into law. The historianandrsquo;s temporizing and reflexivity is rarely a prime requirement. However, if the adviserandrsquo;s guidance is historically informed, as it clearly was in Abel-Smithandrsquo;s case, then so much the better. Perhaps these are the figures we should address.andrdquo;
Review
andldquo;This clearly written and wide-ranging volume provides powerful evidence as to why Brian Abel-Smith, through his incisive and influential contributions to the development of health and social welfare policy both in Britain and further afield, should be regarded as one of the titans of post-1945 social administration.andrdquo;
Synopsis
Barbara Wootton was one of the extraordinary public figures of the twentieth century. She was an outstanding social scientist, an architect of the welfare state, an iconoclast who challenged conventional wisdom and the first woman to sit as Speaker in the House of Lords in Parliament.
Ann Oakley has written a fascinating and highly readable account of the life and work of this singular woman, but the book goes much further. It is an engaged account of the making of British social policy at a critical period seen through the lens of the life and work of a pivotal figure. Oakley tells a story about the intersections of the public and the private and about the way her subjects life unfolded within, was shaped by, and helped to shape a particular social and intellectual context.
Synopsis
Brian Abel-Smith was one of the most in influential expert advisers of the twentieth century in shaping social welfare. He was a modern-day Thomas Paine, driven by a strong socialist mission to improve the lives of the poorest. This valuable and accessible book is the first biography of Abel-Smith It takes a historical perspective to analyse the development of health and social welfare systems since the 1950s, exposing the critical impact of long-running debates on poverty and state responsibility, especially in Britain. This book also provides the first comparative study of how developing countries sought better health and social welfare, enabled by the World Health Organisation and other agencies for whom Abel-Smith regularly worked. This book offers an engaging and useful study for students and researchers in health and social policy, history, politics and economics. It will also be essential reading for professionals working in those government ministries and institutions that Brian Abel-Smith helped to shape.
About the Author
Ann Oakley is a writer and a sociologist. She is Professor of Sociology and Social Policy at the Institute of Education, University of London. She also holds honorary appointments as a Professor in Social Sciences at the Institute of Child Health in London and as a Fellow at Somerville College in Oxford. She has published many books; her fiction includes The Men's Room (1988) and A Proper Holiday (1996) and her non-fiction includes The Sociology of Housework (1974), Becoming a Mother (1979) and Experiments in Knowing (2000).
Table of Contents
List of illustrations and sourcesAcknowledgementsSources and abbreviationsand#160;Prologueand#160;Part 1: Inheritances and duties, 1926-511and#160;and#160; Inheritances: 1926-46and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; Smiths and Abel-Smithsand#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; An English educationand#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; After Haileyburyand#160;2and#160; A wider world: 1946-51and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;National Serviceand#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; Austria: Brian's cold warand#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; Cambridgeand#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; A political educationand#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; Postgraduateand#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; The British Council universities debating tourand#160;Part 2: The politics of policies, 1951-793and#160;and#160;Beveridge's Britain: 1951-55and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; The new British welfare stateand#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; Useful academics: the London School of Economicsand#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; Social science and social policyand#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; Richard Titmussand#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; Peter Townsendand#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; The Fabiansand#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; Tony Crosland and
The Future of Socialismand#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;
The Reform of Social Securityand#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; Costing the National Health Serviceand#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; Too political for research?and#160;4and#160; Political ambitions and private passions: 1955-59and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; An independent lifeand#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;
New Pensions for the Oldand#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; Dalton's heirand#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;
Whose Welfare State?and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; National Insuranceand#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; National Assistanceand#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;Reconceptualising povertyand#160;5and#160; Health and happiness: 1956-64and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;Judgements and predictions: health and medicine in Britainand#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; Funding health service research: collaborations and conflictsand#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; Bedpans and balance sheets: managing the NHSand#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; Friendships and partnershipsand#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; A natural historian:
The Hospitals 1800-1948and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; In the public's eyeand#160;6and#160;
Lingua franca: 1956-67and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; Health economicsand#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; Mauritius: three is the magic numberand#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;
Paying for Health Servicesand#160;7and#160; Distractions and diversions: 1964-68and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;The disappearance of national superannuationand#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;The professors of povertyand#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; Child Poverty Action Groupand#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;The new Supplementary Benefits Schemeand#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; Managing the Poverty Surveyand#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; A legal interestand#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; (Only) Just Menand#160;8and#160; Values: 1968-70and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;Policy from the inside: advising Richard Crossmanand#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;Health enquiriesand#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;AEGIS and the Ely scandaland#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;Restructuring the National Health Serviceand#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;The LSE, 1967-69and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;The end of the titmiceand#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;'The Poor Get Poorer Under Labour'and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;9and#160; Patriarchy and authority: 1970-74and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; Health and social policy: theory and practiceand#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; Enquiries: abuse of social security, NHS management,and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; Thalidomideand#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; 'Quite like old times;' pensionsand#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; International interests: health economicsand#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; Development, poverty and population controland#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; Lossesand#160;10 'Such marvellous fun': 1974-76and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; Chocolate soldiers: the rise of the special adviserand#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; Private concernsand#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; 'One of us': advising Barbara Castleand#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; Labour's policy machineand#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; National Health Service: 'The ark of our covenant'and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; Pay bedsand#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; Resource Allocation Working Partyand#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; Mental illness, mental handicap and disability benefitsand#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; Pensions: third time luckyand#160;11 Disillusionment: 1976-79and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; Ennals, 'Deep Throat' and the Cabinet papers leakand#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;
The Castle Diariesand#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; The Royal Commission on the National Health Serviceand#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; The 30th anniversary of the National Health Serviceand#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;Inequalities: the Supplementary Benefits Review and the Black Reportand#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; Peter Shore and the Department of the Environmentand#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; Labour in 1979: assessments and strategiesand#160;12 International commuting: 1975-79and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;
Value for Money in Health Services: A Comparative Studyand#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; Return to Mauritiusand#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; The European Economic Communityand#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; A new European advisory roleand#160;Part 3: Shifting the balance of power, 1979-9613 In and outers: 1979-91and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; Health for All by the Year 2000and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;HFA2000: health, wealth and health economicsand#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;Making a Financial Master Planand#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; Special adviser to Mahlerand#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;Health promotionand#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;HFA2000: targets and assessmentsand#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;The rise of the World Bankand#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;The Commission on Health Research for Developmentand#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;Kenyaand#160;14 The end of the party: 1979-90and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; Labour in oppositionand#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; Reform or dissolution? The National Health Service in Conservative Britainand#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; London's health servicesand#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; The new academia: a business of knowledgeand#160;15 On the move: 1990-96and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; Reform: the progressive rise of health insuranceand#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; LSE 'retirement'and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;
Cost Containment and New Priorities in Health Careand#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; Tanzania, Indonesia and Thailand: personal and professional interestsand#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; The new language of health and social welfareand#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; Health: political and personaland#160;Epilogue: Stories, histories and biographiesBibliography of Brian Abel-Smith's publicationsEndnotesIndex