Michael Ward studied Politics, Philosophy and Economics at University College Oxford, and Economic and Social History at Birkbeck University of London.Elected to the Greater London Council (GLC) in 1981, he led the GLC's economic development work for five years. After the GLC was abolished, he moved to Manchester, where he set up and ran the Centre for Local Economic Strategies. In 2000 he returned to London as Chief Executive of the London Development Agency.Michael and his wife Hilary now live in Sussex; they have two grown-up children.

• ContentsList of PlatesPREFACEChapter One: IntroductionPROPHETS10BEGINNINGS10THREE INSTITUTIONS12FROM PERMEATION, VIA SOCIAL DEMOCRACY, TO A NEW CIVILIZATION12IDEAS14The Webbs and the State15The National Minimum19Political Leadership22ARTS, MUSIC, AND CULTURE23BEATRICE AS FEMINIST28MARRIAGE AND THE MORAL CODE29Notes to Preface and Chapter One34PART ONE: APPRENTICESHIPS 1858 - 1892Chapter Two: Beatrice Potter 1858-1890BEATRICE 1858 - 187538'IRRESPONSIBLE GIRLHOOD' 1875-188244SOCIAL APPRENTICE 1882-189047Chapter Three: Sidney Webb 1859-1890SIDNEY 1859-188062'THE ABLEST MAN IN ENGLAND'66Chapter Four: Joseph and SidneyFRIENDSHIP AND THE READING ROOM75'DANCING IN A DREAM TOWARDS SOME PRECIPICE'81SOCIALISM, UNEMPLOYMENT, AND THE DOCK STRIKE 1887-188993'A LONDON RETAIL TRADESMAN WITH THE AIMS OF A NAPOLEON'103Notes to Part One133PART TWO: PERMEATION 1892 - 1912Chapter Five: The firm of Webb 1892-1899MARRIAGE AND HONEYMOON146'LITTLE HOME ON THE BANKS OF THE THAMES'147THE WEBBS' YEAR150THE TRADE UNION BOOKS154THE LONDON COUNTY COUNCIL AND LONDON EDUCATION159'SOLID WORK IN ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL PRINCIPLES'163Chapter Six: Grosvenor Road 1899-1905THE WEBB MYTH170THE SOULS, THE SALON, AND THE NETWORK176HISTORY OF ENGLISH LOCAL GOVERNMENT184EDUCATION187THE BOER WAR193Chapter Seven: The disease of destitution 1905-1912'THAT NASTY OLD POOR LAW'202'OUR TRUSTY AND WELL-BELOVED BEATRICE': THE POOR LAW COMMISSION 1905-1909206'THE GOLDEN TIME': THE FABIAN SOCIETY 1905-1912229'RAGING,TEARING PROPAGANDA'253ENDGAME:1910-1912271Notes to Part Two286PART THREE: SOCIAL DEMOCRACY: 'A POOR THING BUT OUR OWN': 1912 - 1931Chapter Eight: Peace and war 1912-1918A NEW ENGLAND304A NEW POLITICAL WEEKLY308FABIANS AND GUILD SOCIALISTS311THE COMING OF WAR 1914-1916315THE WEBB NETWORK AND THE WAR317THE MOVEMENT323THE WEBBS AND THE WOOLFS328WAR EMERGENCY WORKERS NATIONAL COMMITTEE331IMPACT OF THE RUSSIAN REVOLUTION333REMAKING LABOUR337RECONSTRUCTION340Chapter Nine: Inevitable gradualness 1919-1924THE COAL CRISIS AND THE SANKEY COMMISSION349SIDNEY, LABOUR, AND SEAHAM358THE LSE AND THE NEW STATESMAN AFTER THE WAR362THE FIRST LABOUR GOVERNMENT367Chapter Ten: Passfield Corner 1924-1929'THE HOME OF THE AGED WEBBS'382'AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY WITH THE LOVE AFFAIRS LEFT OUT'385COAL AND THE GENERAL STRIKE: 1924-1926388'THE OLD WEBBS CHUCKLING OVER THEIR CHICKENS': POLITICS 1926 - 1929391'WHO IS COMING FORWARD AMONG THE YOUNG MEN?' THE NEXT GENERATION393LIFE AT PASSFIELD CORNER396'THE BEVERIDGE-MAIR DICTATORSHIP': LSE 1924-1929409Chapter Eleven: The second Labour Government: 1929-1931EAST AFRICA412PALESTINE431THE ECONOMY, UNEMPLOYMENT, AND THE FALL OF THE LABOUR GOVERNMENT447Notes to Part Three473PART FOUR: A NEW CIVILIZATION? 1931 - 1947Chapter Twelve: Soviet Communism'WITHOUT DOUBT, WE ARE ON THE SIDE OF RUSSIA'488'A NEW KIND OF ROYALTY'496THE WEBBS AND LABOUR AFTER MACDONALD504LABOUR'S INTERNATIONAL POLICY 1931-1937510'A REAL GOOD SORT': BEVERIDGE LEAVES LSE516Chapter Thirteen The last years 1937-1947AGEING521'ONE MAN DISGUISED AS A COMMITTEE': BEVERIDGE AFTER 1937524THE WEBBS AND THE SHAWS531IVAN AND AGNIYA MAISKY534APPEASEMENT AND THE NAZI-SOVIET PACT 1937-1939536PHONEY WAR 1939-1940548BEATRICE AND SIDNEY, 1941-1947557Notes to Part Four570ANNEXESAnnexe One: Acknowledgements and Thanks578Annexe Two: Biographical Index581Annexe Three: Bibliography633Annexe Four: The Potter Sisters644Annexe Five: Abbreviations and acronyms645INDEX

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