The political origins of the Social Security Act of 1938

Abstract

The Labour Party was founded as the Party of the working man, its aim being a fairer distribution of the rewards of labour in a rich young country. The interests of the working class were paramount and among these interests social justice held an important place. If Social Security was conceived as part of this design for social justice some signs ought to be evident in Party platforms or policy statements. It is however an anachronism to talk about "Social Security" before this particular title was given to the plan in early 1938, therefore any discussion on health and pensions or superannuation which might seem to indicate a similar line of thought, under whatever heading it in discussed, merits consideration as a possible point of origin of Social Security.