British Early Modernization And Social Security System

At the end of 18th century, Britain began the process of industrialization. In short decades, it completely changed Britain in every aspect.In the first part of this paper, it analyzed the two consequences of industrialization. On the one hand, the accumulation of capital in the United Kingdom showed the world the amazing power of industry that outpouring of wealth could gather in such a small country with limited resources. With wealth came, Britain became more and more strong so that it could counter against the whole Europe, meanwhile its colonial tentacles were extended everywhere in the world. On the other hand, poverty and unemployment were rapidly spread in Britain. The accumulation of wealth not only widened the gap between the rich and poor, but also threw many honest workers living in poverty.Industry brought wealth and poverty. Facing such a historical paradox, the British social classes painfully explored and tried to find a way of industrial development without widespread poverty. In second part, this paper tries to analyze that facing these social problems, every class in Britain how to solve these problems and the development of the social security theory. More and more people had realized that the society should responsible for poverty. And diverse forms of socialism had emerged since the mid 19th century. At the end of 19th century, there were twopolitical theories emerged ----- Fabian Socialism and NewLiberalism which had much impact on the development of British social security system. Fabian socialism criticized the social system and advocated welfare policies from the outside of capitalism while New Liberalism from the inside. The emergence of these ideas laid the theoretical foundation of social security. These also tires to find out the reasons of British social security system, and discussed it from each aspect. Industrialization means wealth, but in the richest country' s people were under poverty, which dragged the Britain in a very embarrassing position. Defeated in Bull War 1934, the declined National physique, the flourished labor movement, and domestic instability forced the British government awareness of these social issues must be solved. Therefore, the British government had continuously adjusted social policy since 1601 Elizabeth "Poor Law*, and diverse social security theories continually developed and transferred top-down, finally became the basis for government decision-making. In 1906 the Liberal Party government believing in the New Liberalism came into power, a series of social legislation on pensions, and finally took shape the British social security system under the support of the Labor Party which influenced by Fabian Socialism.Through analyzing of the process of British social security system establishment, the writer thought the establishment of this system was due to the mutual effort of every class, andfinally carried out legally by government. This paper also summarized the experience of this system long-term establishment.