Major thinkers in welfare

Vic George (1930-2017) was Emeritus Professor in Social Policy and Social Work at the University of Kent, Canterbury. He previously worked at the London School of Economics and Political Science and the University of Nottingham. He authored and edited 18 books written around the themes of inequality and poverty, several of which have been translated into other languages.

• Introduction; Classical Athens: Plato and Aristotle; The Graeco-Roman world: Epicurus, Zeno, Cicero, Seneca and Aurelius; Early Christianity: St Augustine, St Francis of Assisi and St Aquinas; The Renaissance: Desidarius Erasmus and Thomas More; The Reformation: Martin Luther and Jean Calvin; Absolutism: Thomas Hobbes; Liberalism: John Locke; Early feminism: Mary Astell, Sophia, and Mary Wollstonecraft; A welfare society: Jean-Jacques Rousseau; The market, laissez-faire and welfare: Adam Smith; Democracy and welfare: Thomas Paine; Classical Marxism and welfare: Karl Marx and Frederick Engels; Positive freedom and state welfare: T.H. Green.

"This is a very good book indeed ... Above all, it is clear, detailed and interesting, excellently free from jargon and convoluted prose, and a pleasure to read." Journal of Social Policy