The legal and policy context

Historically there has been a shifting balance between explanations which outline vulnerability as a consequence of either the social or economic circumstances experienced by the individual which are largely out of their control or the failure of the individual to make the right moral choices and live a responsible life. In political terms the former, which was influential during the post war consensus on the British welfare state, is associated with the left and the latter has to a considerable extent become the preferred explanation of vulnerability for those ideologically on the right and has become an increasing feature of contemporary social policy. This chapter will consider how these ideas have played out in recent social policy developments as well as exploring the broad themes which have been influential in contemporary social policy reform.