When economic theory meets policy: Barbara Wootton and the creation of the British welfare state

Abstract

This article investigates Barbara Wootton’s contributions to the discussion and implementation of a welfare system in Britain. It draws both from her theoretical work and her engagement in the public debate, including her interactions with William Beveridge and his welfare plan for post-war Britain. An assessment of Wootton’s published and unpublished works allows for correlating her views on economic theory and policy with the role of the state. We claim that Wootton’s critique of economic theory and her understanding of reality provided a sound foundation for her policy-making prescriptions, which contributed to a more interventionist perspective of Britain’s welfare state.