Introduction

This chapter looks at five approaches to citizenship and its welfare component that are relevant to the contemporary British setting: namely Marshall's view, the subsequent challenges of the ‘New Right’ and the ‘new communitarians’, New Labour's approach to welfare, and a Muslim view. What follows, therefore, is essentially an appraisal of various normative accounts that offer competing views about approaches to meeting welfare needs (provision), striking the correct balance between rights and responsibilities (conditionality), and legitimisations for including or excluding certain individuals or groups from collective welfare arrangements (membership). A principal task will be to explore the extent to which each of the following perspectives differ, or indeed exhibit similarities, in relation to the three themes specifically chosen for investigation in this book, that is, provision, conditionality and membership. Some of the concerns and criticisms of certain major perspectives (eg Marxism and feminism) are dealt with only briefly in this chapter. It should be noted, however, that this is not an attempt to marginalise important views; indeed issues that relate directly to class, gender, ethnicity and disability inform some of the discussions that follow, particularly the section on Marshall.

The key elements of T.H. Marshall's highly influential account of citizenship are first examined and the important ‘third element’ of social rights is explored in some detail. The views of some of Marshall's many critics are also considered. It is noted, however, that many such critics continue to believe that elements of Marshall's approach (with its emphasis on an extensive package of collectively funded universal, social rights) remain relevant in the contemporary social climate. Following on from this, the focus shifts to consider two challenges to Marshall's thinking on welfare, that arguably continue to be highly influential as the British post-war welfare settlement is re negotiated. First, aspects of the New Right's welfare agenda and how they were incorporated by successive Conservative administrations into a version of citizenship that attempted to reduce and redefine the state's welfare role are considered. Second, the emerging views of the self-styled ‘new communitarian’ movement are discussed and some of the potential effects that they may have on publicly provided welfare explored.