Political Economy of the European Union Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 1

Political Economy of the European Union - Essay Example states, assuring the  Ã¢â‚¬Ëœfreedom of movement of people, goods, services and capital’.  It preserves a common trade policy,  agricultural and  fisheries  policies,  and a regional development policy.  Fifteen member states have implemented a common currency, the  euro. It has build up a role in  foreign policy, and represents its members in the  World Trade Organization, at  G8  summits and at the  United Nations. Twenty-one EU nations are part of  NATO. It has also taken up a responsibility in justice and home affairs, which includes the elimination of passport control between many member nations under the  Schengen Agreement. (Alan, 2007) The EU functions through a hybrid mechanism of  intergovernmentalism  and  supranationalism. In particular areas it relies on agreement among the member states. However, it also possesses supranational bodies, thus is competent to make judgments without agreement between each and every national governments. Among the prominent institutions and bodies of the EU are the  European Commission, the  European Parliament, the  Council of the European Union, the  European Council, the  European Court of Justice,  and the  European Central Bank. In every five years, the Parliament is elected by the EU citizens. Origins of the EU go back to the formation of the  European Coal and Steel Community,  formed among six countries in 1951 and the  Treaty of Rome  in 1957. Thereafter the EU has expanded in size via accession of new associate states, and in authority by adding new policy areas to its remit. (Richard, 2006) Subsequent to the  Second World War, efforts made towards European integration were viewed as a get away approach from the intense forms of nationalism, which had ravaged the continent.  The  formation of the European Coal and Steel Community was among one such attempt to bring together Europeans. While having the unassuming aim of federal control of the formerly national coal and steel industries of its member nations, it

Brands and other intangible assets Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

Brands and other intangible assets - Essay Example The financial status with a brand becomes more distinguished as relations to consumers are built through the brand valuation. Recognizing the brand as an intangible asset becomes essential to a corporation because of the impact it has on consumer spending as well as on the financial future of a company. If finances begin to fluctuate from stable growth to increases and decreases in the company, then it can be noted as a direct link to the intangible asset of brand valuation (Wood, 662, 2000). Branding is a concept that began centuries ago as many began to associate the idea of ownership with the products they owned. Branding a home or slaves was the concept used by those who were interested in keeping and maintaining a personal establishment. The main concept was to recognize ownership specifically to gather a return on investment for the ownership. The concept of branding for businesses began to boom with the emergence of the industrial revolution and the building of companies into national entities. During this time, the competition to create products at a mass level while outdoing competitors became the main concept. In the 1920s, General Motors, Ford and companies such as P&G began to use their name identity as a tactic for overcoming the competition. As these brands were identified as an intangible asset demand increased as well as the accounting structure. As consumerism began to rise in the 1980s, most businesses began to incorporate branding into their main ident ity as it was noted that financial differences occurred when a brand was recognized. The main concept was to create a higher amount of demand from potential customers while allowing customers to become loyal to the brand identity over other competitors. The result was the ability to not only build reputation, but also to change the financial increases within a corporation. The concept of brand identity during the 1980s and 1990s also began to emerge at a global level,

Edward de Vere is the Real Shakespeare Essay Example for Free

Edward de Vere is the Real Shakespeare Essay Edward de Vere was an Earl of Oxford. There is an ongoing debate whether William Shakespeare’s plays were his or these were the creations of Edward de Vere. This debate continues because literary scholars and historians reject this theory but was supported by theater practitioners and researchers. De Vere, also known as Oxford, was called a playwright and poet but his works did not survive. Some of his poetry was anonymously published in â€Å"Arte of English Poesie† in 1589. This was confirmed by the author George Puttenham. Very many noble gentlemen in the Court that have written commendably and suppressed it again, or else suffered it to be published without their own names to it, as it were a discredit for a gentleman, to seem learned, and to show himself amorous of any good art. † (Nelson, 165) Oxford as a dramatist is given proof through the testimony of Francis Meres in â€Å"Palladis Tamia. † He describes his works as â€Å"the best for comedy. † (Whalen, 361). Nonetheless, few of Oxford’s poems and songs are credited to his own name. The dates of these works are uncertain. Most of which are signed â€Å"Earle of Oxenforde† or â€Å"E. O. † When he was alive, Oxford was always in the company of English poets. In 1920, J Thomas Looney presented facts that Oxford was the real author of Shakespeare’s plays. The facts he presented were: a. ) Oxford’s advanced education and first-hand knowledge of an aristocrat’s life b. ) the law c. ) the military c. ) theater background d. ) high praise of Oxford’s works by his peers and e. ) the countless similarities between Oxford’s life and the setting of the plays. Looney’s hypothesis was that Oxford published his works under a pseudonym since it was disgraceful for an aristocrat like him to be writing plays for public theater. (Nelson, 158). This claim was confirmed by Renaissance scholars. Members of the Tudor aristocracy were recognized as reputable poets but none of them published their works. None of Sir Walter Raleigh, Sir Fulke Greville, Sir Edward Dyer and Sir Philip Sidney published their creations despite their recognition in the aristocratic society. (Whalen, 248). Through the ideas presented by Looney, other writers became notable Oxfordians. Sigmund Freud, Mark Twain, columnist Joseph Sobran, biographer and historian David McCullough and actors Orson Welles, Sir Derek Jacobi, Sir John Gielgud and Jeremy Irons all believe that it was Oxford who wrote these plays. (Lindquist, 23) However, there are gaps on Looney’s theory. One is the evidentiary gap such as Oxford’s death in 1604. If he were in fact the real author of Shakespeare’s plays, the he wouldn’t have witnessed the wreck of the Sea Venture in Bermuda and the Gunpowder Plot† which were said to be the allusions to Shakespeare’s dramas â€Å"The Tempest† and â€Å"Macbeth. Then there are writers like Leonard Digges and Ben Jonson who provide concrete evidence that Shakespeare is a reputed poet. (Lindquist, 24) Oxfordians provide proof through the use of modern research that Shakespeare no longer published his plays after 1604. Also, Oxfordian biographers Mark Anderson and William Farina showed research which indicate that the publication of Shakespeare’s plays actually ended in 1604. (Simpson, 34) Aside from Oxford, there are other candidates who are considered to have been the real author of Shakespeare’s plays and sonnets. These are Christopher Marlowe, Francis Bacon and the Earl of Derby. These theories were rejected by academic establishments. Through the ideas and hypothesis of Looney and the Oxfordians, Oxford as the real author of Shakespeare’s works still stands true. (Nelson, 102) A crucial reasoning of why Oxford is the actual author of Shakespeare’s works come in the political topography of â€Å"Hamlet. † (Propson, 13) The Denmark in the play is identical with the biography Oxford has been accustomed in. The play is an imaginative presentation of what Oxford would have done, based on his other works that were published under a pseudonym. Oxfordians continue to present other arguments with such depth and accurate research to back up their hypothesis and their theories. Oxford mastered the understanding and experience that is evident in Shakespeare’s plays. Oxford’s poems also have the same flow as those of Shakespeare’s. He explored and developed the stanzaic and metric forms when writing poetry, just like Shakespeare and his sonnets. (Propson, 15) And just like any aristocrat, he was status-conscious and he needed recognition for his success. He was determined to have his way and would have made it sure to have received credit for his plays or his poetry. So why then would he have allowed this to happen if he actually wrote the plays? Scholars who studied Oxford as a man and the possible Shakespeare describe him as â€Å"a puzzle to his generation. † Oxford was eccentric and creative and he showed varying moods, subtle movements and fierce passions. His words as seen in his poetry are inexplicable and extraordinary. The knowledge and insight of these works cannot be discussed easily, as confirmed by Looney. â€Å"The poetic genius has more or less always been a man apart. † (Whalen, 183) However, those who believe that Shakespeare was the real author of his works scrutinized Oxford’s works as lacking the depth and the conscious knowledge that Shakespeare’s plays and sonnets are known for. (Lindquist, 28). His poetry did not have the level of knowledge or the comprehension of philosophies and advance consciousness of the characters as evident in Shakespeare’s plays. But these facts do not stop Oxfordians from seeing De Vere as the candidate for Shakespeare’s actual authorship. They strongly believe that his capability as a dramatist and poet â€Å"conforms to the mind and capacity and character of Shakespeare. (Simpson, 23) Oxford was generous and often funded patronage to projects that benefited literacy, religion, medicine, philosophy, science and music. Not only was he a poet and playwright, he was also a patron. This proves that Oxford made sure he was recognized. Another question mark is that ten other Shakespearean plays were published after 1604, which was the year Oxford died. (Lindquist) The strongest claim that Oxford is in fact the real Shakespeare is the cumulative parallels of the earl’s life to the works and the specificity of his personal references and concerns as seen in the plays and the poems. Oxford was a pure-bred aristocrat and he has been educated along with other noble families. He had profound literary tastes and through this, has become a lyrical poet. He was a traveler and is quite fashionable. He loved music. This is set alongside the fact that Shakespeare was illiterate. Oxfordians say that Shakespeare would have had a hard time writing his own signature, what more composing plays and sonnets. They also reasoned that in Shakespeare’s will, he never mentioned anything about his plays. The same can be said to Oxford. If he in fact wrote the plays, then why did he not state this in his will? The date and the circumstances of Oxford is the dispute among scholars. The historical records and his way of life are concrete proof that he is aware of the aristocrat’s way of life, compared to Shakespeare, who did not lead a life of luxury. Oxford’s uncle, The Earl of Surrey, originated the sonnet form today which has been used in Shakespeare’s sonnets. (Propson, 46). The question on who wrote this becomes more and more difficult to answer because of this. Oxford received his BA from Cambridge University and his masters from Oxford University. He was also sent to study law at Gray’s Inn. This only comes to show that he is absolutely knowledgeable of the topics that have been discussed in Shakespeare’s 37 plays. Like most of the characters in Shakespeare’s plays, Oxford was not domesticated by marriage. He was famous for getting in trouble which initiated the wrath of his father-in-law. As a young man, Oxford accidentally killed another man. A lot of Shakespeare’s plays show one character killing another. Historical records show that Oxford and his companions traveled on the road from Gravesend to Rochester. This is similar to â€Å"Henry the Fourth, Part One. † For some reason, the account in the play also provides the full detail of the assault that is similar to Oxford and his men. Once Oxfordians dug this information up, they used it as another important bullet point in their hypothesis. Oxford was also notorious for his martial prowess. He excelled in sports. He was also good with words. He knew how to provide a vast content of narrative using vocabulary, metaphor and imagery. This is evident in Shakespeare’s plays. Another factor that adds up to the confirmation of the Oxfordian’s claim is that Oxford conceived theatrical entertainment for the Queen of Whitehall. He was given a lease to the Blackfriars Theater. He was the patron of other writers and he was known by members of various acting companies. He was one of the first recipients of the literary dedications written by writers Edmund Spenser and John Lyly. He was regarded to be one of England’s most excellent writers. To give more proof on the thesis statement of this paper is the fact that Oxford traveled extensively. He visited France and Italy. Sicily provided the backdrop for Shakespeare’s plays set in Italy. Oxford had a home in Venice. His ship was once attacked by pirates during one voyage. Again, this is another scene from one of Shakespeare’s plays – â€Å"Twelfth Night. † Another historical account of Oxford as Shakespeare is when his brother-in-law Peregrin Bertrie reports upon his return that while having a banquet at Elsinore, â€Å"a whole volley of all the great shot of the castle discharged. † This very account is the line of Shakespeare’s Cluadius in â€Å"Hamlet. † (Propson, 42) However, there are still gaps, especially toward the later years of his life. In 1958, there had been anonymous publications and performances of Shakespearean plays like Titus Andronicus, Richard the second and Romeo and Juliet. That time, the first quarto bore the name William Shakespeare as the author. That very year, Francis Meres published his works â€Å"Palladis Tamia† and credits â€Å"Shakespeare. † At the same time, he identifies the playwright Edward de Vere as â€Å"the best for comedy amongst us. † The 1604 problem will always prevent Oxfordian scholars to completely conclude that Oxford is the real Shakespeare but that does not stop them from presenting concrete facts in what they believe in. They reach a point wherein they count the number of plays Shakespeare release in a year. They wondered about the inconsistency. They say that in 1593 to 1603, Shakespeare published two plays in a year. Then he stopped writing in 1604 and started publishing five years later. (Propson, 45) Other Oxfordian claims is the fact that Shakespeare was not mourned for in his death. Upon Mark Twain’s observation, â€Å"When Shakespeare died in Stratford, it was not an event. It made no stir in England than the death of any other forgotten theater-actor would have made. Nobody came down from London; there were no lamenting poems, no eulogies, no national tears – there was merely silence, and nothing more. A striking contrast with what happened when Ben Jonson, and Francis Bacon, and Spencer, and Raleigh and the other literary folk of Shakespeare’s time passed from life! No praiseful voice was lifted for the lost Bard of Avon. † (Simpson, 138) Until now, the Oxfordian theory is popular amongst writers, scholars, researchers and actors. The debate between the Oxfordians and the Stratfordians (those who believe that Shakespeare is the real author of his works) continue.

Safeguards and Policies to Protect Children from Harm

Safeguards and Policies to Protect Children from Harm Protecting children from harm When children are attending school, their parents and carers expect them to be learning and enjoying their day in a safe and secure environment. The Health and Safety at work Act 1974 has been put into place to ensure the environment the children work in is safe and well maintained and safe for children to move around in. The environment in which the children and adults are working within should be safe and clean, and any equipment and resources that are being used by the children should be safe and in good working condition to ensure they are protected from any harm. Children should be able to learn in a safe environment and being able to learn and thrive to their full potential without the risks of illness or injury. Safeguarding is not just about protecting children from harm it also includes issues such the following. Children’s health and safety Bullying Racist abuse Harassment and discrimination Use of physical intervention Meeting the needs of children with medical conditions Providing first aid Drug and substance misuse Internet safety Safeguarding children is the responsibility of all school staff members and governors. They should do the following to protect children from harm. Provide an environment where children feel secure, are encouraged to talk and are listened to Ensure children know that there are adults in school who they can approach with any concerns Provide information that enables children to develop the skills they need to recognise how to stay safe and free from harm Children should be able to feel safe and secure in the school setting. Staff should receive the sufficient training relating to safeguarding children and should identify signs of abuse in order to protect the child from any harm. Children who are protected enjoy and thrive at what they like to do best and this motivates them and gives them a self belief of all the things they enjoy. Children who are not protected in the school setting lack self esteem issues and this would also have a negative impact on their development. Safe guards have been put into place to ensure the following. Protects children and young people from harm and abuse Enables staff to know what to do if they are worried Shows that the group is responsible and has pride in its work Prevents children from under developing Builds children self esteem and self belief Builds confidence in the child Gives the opportunity for the child to enjoy childhood and have no worries that they should not have Gives them a good start to life Prevents them from being under bad influence that could cause long term effects References/bibliography www.gov.uk www.safeguardingchildren (3.4) Policies and Procedures In a school environment there are a range of policies and procedures in place to protect the children and the adults who are working at the school. Policies and procedures are important in schools because they help to ensure that staff and children know what is expected of them, they would receive fair treatment and enjoy the safest conditions possible. Safety in schools is better assured when clear policies and procedures exist. Everyone works better when there are rules that are understood clearly. Policies and procedures set out the rules that must be followed and if not followed there would be consequences. Children behave and perform better when they know the guidelines and when teachers are consistent with enforcing the rules. Some of the procedures set in a school are. Safeguarding and welfare of children policy Safeguarding and school security procedures Statutory school policies School health and safety procedures School improvement policies School support and healthy lifestyle policies General school policies Special educational needs policies School premises policies Educational policies are rules that are used in schools to effectively and efficiently teach children and keep them safe. Policies and procedures enable schools to make good decisions that optimise well being. Schools do this by the following. Involving children in school decision making about governance and policy Involving children and parents in the regular review of school policies and procedures and the determination of computer use, class and playground rules Encouraging children to take active steps in tackling bullying, prejudice and other behaviours that have a negative impact on wellbeing Aligning policy and curriculum References/bibliography www.safenetwork.org.uk (3.5) Reporting poor practice When working with children it is very important that any concerns regarding poor practice are reported. Also to ensure those who’s behaviour is causing concern is reported to protect those who have reported the concern are protected. Reporting concerns about poor practice is very serious and needs to be dealt with as soon as possible. Within the school setting there will be procedures put into place for reporting concerns. When discussing poor practice with the manager poor practice should be accurately identified and if possible, include dates, times and situations when the issue occurred. It is essential to provide as much information as possible. Whistleblowers are protected by law as long as certain criteria are met. The types of whistle blowing eligible for protection (called qualifying disclosures), they include when someone reports the following. That someone’s health and safety is in danger Damage to the environment A criminal offence That the company is not obeying the law That someone is covering up wrongdoing Whistleblowers are protected by law as long as they believe that what they are doing is right and that it is in the public interest. The human resource department will usually play a large role in ensuring that the correct procedures are followed. The human resources department will provide information on the employee’s rights, including their right to representation. If a young person or adult has concerns, it is important that they are able to report them to someone at the school. It is therefore important that the school know how to respond, and who will do this. Once a concern has been reported, it is important that appropriate action be taken. It will not be the school’s responsibility to decide if action needs to be taken, unless a child is at immediate risk of harm. It is however the schools responsibility to respect the concerns appropriately in accordance with the policies, procedures and systems that have been put into place. When someone is reporting their concerns the following should be used to help the situation. Stay calm Reassure the person reporting their concerns that they have done the right thing in telling you Keep an open mind Listen carefully to what is said and take them seriously Explain that the information would have to be shared with others and do not promise to keep secrets. Child abuse can and does occur inside and outside the family environment. It is not always easy for teachers to identify where abuse has occurred. However, all teachers working with children have a duty of care to be vigilant and respond appropriately to suspicions of poor practice, abuse or bullying. Whistle blowing is the process of disclosing wrong doing. Within the school setting this may mean exposing a member of staff to poor practice or behaviour. This could be a member of staff bullying a pupil or a colleague. The way a worker can blow the whistle on wrong doing depends on whether they feel they can tell their employer. A worker cannot be dismissed because of whistle blowing. If they are, they can claim unfair dismissal they will be protected by law as long as certain criteria are met. The following people are protected. Employees A agency worker People that are training with an employer Self employed workers Work in a school A worker will be eligible for protection if They honestly think what they’re reporting is true They think they are telling the right person They believe that their disclosure is in the public interest Reference/bibliography www.whistleblowing.uk www.gov.uk (3.6) Protecting yourself during everyday practice In the school setting there are various policies and procedures in place which support assistants must adhere to in order to protect themselves. The safeguarding if children are usually covered within the induction programme and this will inform teaching assistants of the roles and responsibilities with regard to children and how teaching assistants can be protected against unwanted allegations. Policies within the school setting should be followed to protect you from harm. This includes health and safety policies for example, not standing on the tables to pin a poster on the wall. If an incident is witnessed by another member of staff, they should be asked to document what they have witnessed, sign and date it as evidence When a school trip has been arranged, the teacher and support assistant will usually carry out a risk assessment to ensure that the venue is safe for the class to visit. They will usually need to do the following. Ensure the risk assessments are completed and when appropriate individual safety plans and safe working practices Support the governing body in any decision on approval Assign competent staff to lead and help with trips Verify that all accompanying adults have been CRB checked Make sure that all consent and medical forms are obtained Keep records of visits and provide after visit evaluation to aid future visits All relevant risk assessments must be carried out by the teacher before any proposed visit or activity takes place. Key issues from the risk assessment or safe working procedures completed for the trip must be communicated to all adults before the visit commences. Risk assessments must also be completed for the transport. When hiring a coach or minibus drivers of the transport must have received training within the last four years. The risk assessments are completed to ensure the safety of the teachers and children and are covered if anything does go wrong (insurance). References/bibliography www.gov.uk

Journal Topic :: essays research papers

Journal 1 Echternacht, Lonnie & Wedmaier, Cheryl. (2000) Business Professionals’ and Business Educators’ Perceptions of Database Competencies Needed for Entry-Level Employment. NABTE, 34-39. How much education does a student need to receive a good job? The business world changes so much that a person is not able to keep up with the education that goes along. In the article it gives you the idea that a person can graduate from college and then in five years, what they learned is not used any more. Business changes so much it is hard to tell what the future will do. Researches think that students need to learn different skills to help them out in the work place. The purpose of the study was to find out what database competencies are important for a job in the business field. Also, how do the experts rate the competencies that are giving to them? The researchers sent out questionnaires to teachers who use or teach database classes. The questionnaires were made up from different resources that had extensive study on the background. The researchers sent them out by e-mail to all chosen participants. The participants were asked if they would mind being part of the study and if so e-mail them back. The study would consist of three parts all three parts would consist of participants communicating with the researchers. The first part the participants had to rate the competencies of database material. The researchers sent out 64 competencies and the participants could delete and add any to the list. Part two consisted of revaluating their pervious work. The participants could make changes if they felt it was appropriate. The researchers sent out information again to have participants complete three rounds of study. The study showed the competencies that the participants thought were important. The researchers took the range from all of the participants. It scored them from one to six. Six is the highest and one is low and the participants did not spend much time teaching it or thought it needs to be taught. Save the database file, enter records into databases, and review, edit, and delete database files were some that scored a six. The conclusion showed that people with interest in the business field should be aware of data base software and database management systems.

Hamlet as a Tragic Hero :: Shakespeare Hamlet Essays

Hamlet as a Tragic Hero William Shakespeare, the greatest playwright of the English language, wrote a total of 37 plays in his lifetime, all of which can be categorized under tragedy, comedy, or history. The Tragedy of Hamlet, Shakespeare's most popular and greatest tragedy, displays his genius as a playwright, as literary critics and academic commentators have found an unusual number of themes and literary techniques present in Hamlet. Hamlet concerns the murder of the king of Denmark and the murdered king's son's quest for revenge. Its main character, Hamlet, possesses a tragic flaw which obstructs his desire for revenge and ultimately brings about his death. This tragic flaw makes him a tragic hero, a character who is destroyed because of a major weakness, as his death at the end could possibly have been avoided were it not for his tragic flaw. Hamlet's flaw of irresolution, the uncertainty on how to act or proceed, is shown when Hamlet sees a play and the passion the actors had, after Hamlet's third soliloquy, in Hamlet's fourth soliloquy, and in Hamlet's indecisive pursuit in avenging his father's death. First, Hamlet's flaw of irresolution is shown when he sees a play and the passion one particular actor had. A group of players has arrived and Hamlet arranges a personal viewing of The Murder of Gonzago with a small portion of his own lines inserted. Hamlet then observes one portion of the play in which one of the players put on a great display of emotion. Hamlet, besieged by guilt and self-contempt, remarks in his second soliloquy of Hamlet of the emotion this player showed despite the fact that the player had nothing to be emotional about. Hamlet observed that he himself had all the reason in the world to react with great emotion and sorrow, yet he failed to show any that could compare with the act of the player. Hamlet calls himself a "rogue and peasant slave" and a "dull and muddy-mettled rascal" who, like a "John-a-dreams", can take no action. Hamlet continues his fiery speech by degrading himself and resoluting to take some sort of action to revenge his father's death. Next, Hamlet's flaw of irresolution is shown after his third soliloquy, the famed "To be or not to be†¦" lines. Hamlet directly identifies his own tragic flaw, remarking of his own inability to act. Hamlet, unsure whether or not the his uncle Claudius was responsible for his father's murder, schemes to have The Murder of Gonzago presented to the royal court, with a few minor changes, so its

Labour Welfare Reforms

How Successful were the Reforms of the Post War Labour Government 1945-51 in Solving the Social Problem that Faced Britain? By Nicole Anderson In May 1945, the coalition government that had steered Britain through the perilous days of the Second World War was finished. It was replaced by the Labour party who had the challenging task of rebuilding the country after the losses of the Second World War. The Labour government of 1945 made the first drastic steps towards the welfare state. William Beveridge had been commissioned to write a report on the causes of poverty and this became the basis for the Labour reforms.These reforms identified that there were five ‘giants’ of poverty (Squalor, Want, Disease, Ignorance, and Idleness), all of which would have to be defeated in order to eradicate poverty. The attempts to tackle these giants varied greatly in their levels of success and achievements of the aims to defeat poverty. Right wing historian Barnett criticised the Labour government reforms saying that â€Å"expenditure should have been focussed on the economy†, especially after Britain’s involvement and loss in WW2.Whereas, modern historian Martin Pugh defends these reforms arguing that the expense was worthwhile as the reforms dramatically reduced poverty and had a positive effect on the economy therefore stressing their importance. Therefore, I believe that it can be argued that the reforms of the Post War Labour government were successful in lessening the social problems that faced Britain through the tireless efforts of passing successful and adequate reforms.One of the five identified giants was â€Å"Want† which directly related to the poverty that was being experienced by Britain. Before, Britain failed to possess any sort of systematic security system and the few benefits that existed already were very selective and often means tested. However, in 1946 the National Insurance (Industrial Injuries) Act was passed which pro vided compensation for injuries at work. This was a successful improvement for social conditions in Britain as it was the first time women got paid the same rate as men.This was successful as it closed the gap between gender inequalities and also meant that women would also be able to pull themselves and their family out of poverty. In addition, the National Insurance Act of 1946 was also passed which was successful as it established the slogan of the Labour party â€Å"from cradle to grave†. It was one of its successes as it provided for all and all adults were involved – which can be argued again in strengthening the idea of equality among everyone.It covered all stages of life that before were described as a struggle and included maternity, sickness, unemployment benefits, a retirement pension and a death grant. This was a successful notion as now everyone was given the opportunity to receive â€Å"a helping hand† and therefore, it made it easier for families to lift themselves out of poverty and create a better standard of living for themselves. Similarly, the National Assistance Act 1948 was successful in reducing the levels of poverty as it acted as a safety net to meet the needs of those not covered by National Insurance.This again highlights Labour’s success in the field of reducing poverty as it encouraged and maintained the feeling of financial stability for the people of Britain, particularly of the lower classes – therefore boosting the success of the Labour reforms. However, on the other hand it can also be argued that its success is very limited as in theory; National Assistance was supposed to only act as a backup with most people being covered by National Insurance. However, this was not exactly the case and many were forced to apply for National Assistance which limited its success.In addition to this limitation, by the early 1950s, 68% of all National Assistance went to supplement pensions. However, since Na tional Assistance was still ‘means tested’ many old people were reluctant to apply for it! This limitation was due to the fact that they remembered the dreaded means test of the 1930s and it can be argued to limits its success as it meant this proportion of the populations remained unprotected and at a higher risk of poverty. Although, the opposite argument that it was successful essentially, should not be ultimately forgotten.In can be argued that these reforms were an improvement to the old social security system even though it can also be this new system could be expanded. Another argument that illustrates its blatant success is that the real value of pensions increased dramatically since the 1930s meaning that the elderly population benefited from it enormously. In addition, historians such as Pat Thane argue that the social security system was of real advantage to women and lower classes – this was particularly successful as it showed how beneficial it was i n their struggle to lift themselves out of poverty.Historian Thane wholly backs up this viewpoint by stating the social security system was â€Å"a real advantage especially of many woman and also those of the lower middle class† therefore showing how the success of it affected all ends of the social spectrum. However, the most important piece of evidence to suggest its ultimate success is that Rowntree did a second survey of poverty in 1950 and found that poverty in York was down to 2%, compared to 36% in 1936. Therefore, this significant decrease is simple evidence that shows the dramatic impact of the Labour reforms related directly to â€Å"Want†.Thus, it proves that in this sense these reforms were very successful. Disease was the second giant that was tackled and again, was arguably a reasonable success and even argued to be the â€Å"greatest achievement† of the welfare state. Beforehand, only less than half the population were covered by existing health insurance set by the Liberals in 1911. Those who were not covered still had to pay for a doctor at a great expense. In addition, hospitals still relied on voluntary efforts and therefore suffered as a result – these reforms were successful as they completely revolutionised this old system.The NHS Act was passed in 1946 but came into practise by 1948. It offered a full range of help; free treatment from GPs, specialists, free hospital treatments, free eye and dental treatments, spectacles and hearing facilities – this would have greatly increased the overall health of the nation which boosts its success as a reform. However, on the other hand it is important to remember that this health care reform was of an enormous expense, to the point that National Insurance funds did not cover it.This therefore meant that they had to backtrack on â€Å"free for all† and even had to place charges on prescriptions, spectacles and dental treatment which acts as its biggest limi tation as it slightly contradicts its original intention. However, even though this was the case millions of people continued to be treated and their health improved nonetheless which illustrates its success Right wing historians argue that the NHS was too generous in allowing to get free dentures and prescriptions, that there were too wasteful of resources.Furthermore, there still remains great historical debate that it seemed overgenerous for a country so recently battered economically by the world war. Critics similarly argue that the Labour government should have concentrated on the rebuilding of shattered industries than reforming the healthcare system so radically – Cornelli Bernett argues that the NHS was too expensive, and the government should have got the economy on track first. However, left wing historians argue very much in favour of it stating t was a radicalisation that was necessary to improve the health of Britain and that it is the government’s respon sibility to look after the health of it’s population. Also, it is important to remember that those who were treated would be able to return to work and by doing this, contribute to the recovering economy – in the long term the economy would put itself back on track by a healthy workforce. This reform can also be said to be a success as it provided a universal health service without any insurance qualifications of any sort, this shows its success as anyone could qualify for it, meaning anyone could be helped.However, the biggest factor that demonstrate its success is that the queues of people who claimed highlights the extent of the untreated problems – 8. 5million dental patients were treated in the first year and 5 million spectacles were issued. However, this can also be interpreted as people just being inquisitive or looking to get something for free though it seems much more pragmatic and concrete that it is simply illustrating the scale of the problem.Anoth er argument that shows its success is that it was free, so those who normally would fail to afford it had a chance to finally be treated, recover from their illness and pursue a career – earning a living, lifting them out of poverty and contributing to the economy.. Its success is based on the sheer amount accomplished from its start and therefore, it can be argued that again reforms in this area were of great success. The third giant tackled was â€Å"Ignorance† and focussed on the education of children in Britain. It can be argued that it was not the most successful factor although it cannot be denied that it did have some effect.The problems faced before these reforms were in need of fixing – education was disrupted by the evacuation during the War, as well as the training of teachers. In addition there was a shortage of schools; most were in a poor condition which meant the quality of education was directly affected. The Education Act 1944 raised the school leaving age to 15 which can be argued to be successful as it expanded its accessibility. A three level education of technical, grammar and secondary modern schools were created which can also be argued to be reasonably successful as it catered for the specific needs and learning styles of Britain’s students.The â€Å"11 plus† exam was created for this purpose which decided what type of school the child would attend. Its success can be determined as those who passed this exam, the system worked well for. It can be argued that this reform was successful as it offered working class children a chance to ultimately go to a good school and receive an education that would lead to a University degree and a better quality of life. However, the opposite argument suggests that these reforms were limited in success, especially those who failed this exam.Its lack of credit is measured in the fact these children were expected to leave school by 15, go into low skilled work and thous ands of children were basically trapped in a world of low paid work and inferior education – they were expected to fail. It was argued that it was unsuccessful as it was unfair to determine a child’s future at such a young age and ultimately, was not fair. The argument is that there was no equality of opportunity and 75% of pupils were classed as non-academic, completely diminishing the chances of going on to higher education.However, the failures of this reform were not its only aspects; it did have some positive effect on the education system. One of its most important successes is that it raised the leaving age to 15 meaning that education was prolonged for thousands, education was begun to be seen as a right. It also meant that more of an opportunity was given those from a poorer background to access education – this demonstrates its reasonable success. In addition, another great success worthy of noting is that emergency training schemes for 35,000 teachers were established.This is an important success as it generally raised the quality of education for pupils, improving their chances of better qualifications and extending their knowledge; a great success for their later lives. Another success is that free school milk was introduced which was beneficial as it provided nutrition for pupils also. Although this reform had obvious flaws it was accepted as a success due to the natural cause of post war problems; it was accepted that it would take a generation to solve these problems.However, it may also be suggested that Labour cannot actually take credit for any of this success as the 1944 Education Act was R. A. Butler’s Act who was a Conservative. It can be argued there is a fine line between how successful the Labour Government was in bringing these improvements to education when originally, it was not theirs to bring. However, the majority of their input was through implementing these successful changes so credit towards them t herefore cannot be overlooked. Overall, it can be argued that this reform was of limited success, especially considering the fact that Labour is a arty that stands for equality yet the whole new system of education was wholly divisive. However, it was not to the point where it can be classed as unsuccessful – it set the foundations for a fairer education system and was as successful as it could be considering the state of Britain after the war. The fourth giant was Squalor and focussed on the issue of housing and could also be argued to be a great success. 1945 saw overcrowding as a huge national dilemma, with approximately 750,000 houses destroyed during the War. There was also a desperate lack of workers and timber.There was also a significant population increase by 1 million so more houses were an absolute need. The government’s priority became to house the homeless and did so by building â€Å"prefabs† or â€Å"factory made houses†, as well as buildin g good quality council houses with low rents established through the Rent Controls Act. This was successful as it meant that everyone was entitled to a greater opportunity to own a good quality home for them and their family, and owning this was economically achievable through the low rent that was attached.However, critics may argue that houses were built on too high a specification and concentrated on quality rather than quantity. However, this viewpoint can be argued to be classed as over critical as in the long term these houses were of high quality and lasted longer which generally, is of better value for the government. Another limitation that could be considered is that possibly more houses could have been built if more responsibility had been given to the private sector.However true this claim may be, it cannot be denied that many houses were in fact built without the help of the private sector – between 1945 – 51, Labour built 1 million houses which helped gre atly in dealing with the housing crisis, again a major success. It is obvious that the Labour government were successful in focussing on building homes for the working class as 4 out of 5 homes built were council houses, therefore it contradicts the arguments that more houses should have been built as in itself this is a great achievement to accomplish housing on this scale.However, on the other hand there was still a considerate housing shortage in 1951 as well as long waiting lists for council houses. In addition, the 1951 census revealed that there were still 750,000 fewer houses than there were households in Britain. This was roughly the same level of homelessness as in 1951, clearly there was still room for improvement. Futhermore, historian Timmons argues that â€Å"traditionally, housing has been branded the welfare state failure of Bevan and the 1945 Labour Government†.Despite this, overall it becomes obvious to see that the new council estates still vastly improved t he state of crowded tenements and that millions of people were affected positively, even though these houses were still in a considerate demand many families housing conditions were improved. Although the record was not overwhelming it can be argued that Labour came close to its goal of 1945 in terms of the objectives of housing: quality and affordable working class homes Therefore, it can be concluded that reforms on housing can be deemed as successful as it paved the way for better housing reforms in the future.The last giant tackled was â€Å"Idleness† that promised jobs for all. There was a desperate need to avoid an economic slump after the war and the fear of unemployment levels returning to those of the 1930s pushed the government to take action. This was done by encouraging â€Å"full employment† and was generally done so by careful planning. Local authority spending was encouraged in helping people to find jobs and the government also had success in controllin g inflation with price controls and continuing rationing.This was all seen as successful as it helped thousands of families earn themselves an adequate living through receiving employment that was capable of lifting them out of poverty. Another argument that illustrates its success is that many historians such as Brooke claim that â€Å"This was Labour’s single most important domestic achievement† which shows just how highly he regards its success. In addition, this reform was successful at dramatically reducing unemployment.Bevan has previously said it was not possible to reduce unemployment below 3% yet this was achieved by Labour in 1946, which can be argued that this directly correlates to the success of this Labour reform. Another point that demonstrates its success is that Britain’s growth rates were better than America’s as a result, however it can be also argued that this was only because of the war there was a huge increase in the demand for Brit ish goods so Labour cannot take credit. There still remains an argument that whichever government was in power there would have been full employment, that it was a factor outwith government control.It can be argued that this is mainly due to the fact that world demand meaning that Britain could sell its exports. This was also accelerated by the fact that all countries needed to restock due to the damage of the war, therefore suggesting that the government did not have to create jobs itself. On the other hand, so much improvement in unemployment was achieved during this time that it seems only natural to credit Labour’s work as it was their action that ultimately was fulfilled.This was made even more impressive by a climate of crisis and diminished resources, a true success for the Labour government. Furthermore, economic historians tend to conclude that it was difficult to see how Labour’s performance could be improved upon. Thus, it can be concluded that Labourâ€℠¢s efforts to provide jobs for all was very successful. Overall, it seems obvious to conclude that the Labour Welfare reforms all had some sort of positive impact on Britain during 1945 – 51.However, it is important to consider that each reform varied in success and ultimately, some were more successful than others. The reforms dealing with poverty dramatically decreased the numbers of those living in poverty and helped families to claim benefits that were desperately needed; and thus may be deemed as a success if you consider the sheer amount of families that were helped. The NHS helped reduce the numbers of those who were sick yet at a great expense and so can be argued as less successful but still a great achievement for the Welfare state.It can also be argued that reforms tackling â€Å"Ignorance† were not as successful either with the controversial 11-plus exam yet the quality of education was still improved and the school leaving age was raised so it would be unf air to argue that it did not bring in some positive elements to the education system. Similarly, the issue of housing was addressed quite successfully with the problem of homelessness being tackled by the mass expansion of council housing estates. The success of reducing unemployment was noticeable also with the lowest figures of unemployment Britain had ever experienced.Therefore, it can be seen that the Labour Welfare reforms were mostly of great success with the exception of the need of a fairer education system. However, it can be clear to see that all the successes that each reform brought definitely affected millions of the British public in terms of improving health, housing, education, employment and general standard of living. Overall, despite all the problems that Britain faced after the war, Labour completed the Welfare State and successfully managed full employment, thus proving that their reforms were of great success in solving Britain’s social problems between 1945 – 51.