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Full Idea
In the classical liberal tradition freedom meant freedom from external control, and equality meant equality before the law. In the welfare state (of Beatrice Webb) freedom was reinterpreted as freedom from want, and equality as equality of opportunity.
Gist of Idea
The welfare state aims at freedom from want, and equality of opportunity
Source
Micklethwait,J/Wooldridge,A (The Fourth Revolution [2014], 3)
Book Ref
Micklethwait/Wooldridge: 'The Fourth Revolution' [Penguin 2014], p.69
A Reaction
The authors call this the 'third revolution' in government, after 17th century centralisation and early 19th century accountability. Tawney 1931 is the key text.
| 22534 | People care less about what is communal, and more about what is their own [Aristotle] |
| 23053 | The great interest of the human race is cordial unity and unlimited mutual aid [Owen] |
| 23137 | Liberty without socialism is injustice; socialism without liberty is brutality [Bakunin] |
| 23160 | Being a slave of society is hardly better than being a slave of a despot [Russell] |
| 23162 | Managers are just as remote from workers under nationalisation as under capitalism [Russell] |
| 23165 | Socialists say economic justice needs some state control of industries, and of foreign trade [Russell] |
| 21525 | When the state is the only employer, there is no refuge from the prejudices of other people [Russell] |
| 23750 | It is not more money which the wretched members of society need [Weil] |
| 23847 | Socialism tends to make a proletariat of the whole population [Weil] |
| 20575 | Socialist economics needs a very strong central power, virtually leading to slavery [Hayek, by Oksala] |
| 23427 | Socialism can be productive and centralised, or less productive and decentralised [Dobson] |
| 20097 | The welfare state aims at freedom from want, and equality of opportunity [Micklethwait/Wooldridge] |
| 20540 | Redistributing wealth treats some people as means, rather than as ends [Swift] |