Unconditional: Towards Unconditionality in Social Policy

Can anything ever be truly unconditional? Can public services such as healthcare or education be unconditional? And can an income ever be unconditional? This incisive book responds to these questions with a qualified ‘yes,’ and considers whether a social policy regime based on unconditionality might ever replace neoliberalism. Beginning with an exploration of the meaning of unconditionality and how the term relates to concepts such as universality and reciprocity, Malcolm Torry lays the foundations for an understanding of what an unconditionality paradigm in social policy might look like. He investigates how social policy characterised by unconditionality might fit within the spectrum of welfare state regimes and sets out the arguments for and against unconditionality in healthcare, education, income provision, and other social policy areas. Chapters delve into the history and ethics of unconditionality in social policy, with close reference to Hebrew and Christian scripture and philosophers’ discussions on the possibility of unconditional giving. A key contribution to global debate on unconditionality in social policy, this invigorating book will prove an essential read for students and scholars interested in social and economic history, the economics of social policy, and Universal Basic Income. Its practical insights will also benefit journalists, think tank staff and policymakers.

Table of Contents:
Contents: Preface Introduction to Unconditional 1 The meaning of unconditionality 2 Social policy regimes 3 Is unconditional giving possible? 4 Arguments for unconditionality 5 Arguments for unconditionality in healthcare and education 6 Some of the arguments for unconditionality in income maintenance 7 More of the arguments for unconditionality in income maintenance 8 Arguments against unconditionality 9 A trajectory: snapshots in history 10 Quite simply, unconditionality works 11 The ethics of unconditionality 12 Prospects for unconditionality Bibliography Index

About the Author :
Malcolm Torry, Visiting Fellow, Institute for Policy Research, University of Bath, previously Senior Visiting Fellow, London School of Economics, Treasurer, Basic Income Earth Network (BIEN), former Director, Citizen's Basic Income Trust. He is a Priest in the Church of England and currently Priest in Charge of St Mary Abchurch, City of London, UK

Review :
‘The book is important because of its undeniable quality. It is well written, systematically struc-tured and the thought process is easy to follow. Each chapter comes with a substantial list of cited literature for anyone who wishes to research further on the topic.’ ‘This is an important and timely book. Malcolm Torry rightly argues that the time has come to shift social policy away from the punitive, exclusionary failures commonplace to neoliberalism and towards a more effective, compassionate, and generative unconditionality fit for the complexities of the 21st Century. Combining empirical rigour and theoretical complexity, the book makes a strong case that it is time for “an unconditionality paradigm” to emerge and argues that this could be anchored in Universal Basic Income (UBI). This is an important text for anyone wishing to re-think contemporary social policy.’