POSTMODERNISM, WELFARE AND RADICAL POLITICS

This article argues that postmodernist theory is something which stude nts of social policy should neither accept uncritically nor dismiss ou t of hand, Firstly, the article takes issue with the responses made to postmodernist theory by Ramesh Mishra and Peter Taylor-Gooby. Secondl y, it argues that-the ideas loosely known as 'reflexive modernisation' constitute a more measured and critical response, though such ideas a re likely to be of little use to social policy research in the absence of any reference to a left-right spectrum. Thirdly, it argues that by combining reflexive modernisation with a left-right spectrum, a decen tred conception of welfare emerges which could be of value to a radica l left politics. Finally, it argues for a Citizen's Income as a reform proposal which has the potential to establish such a system of decent red welfare.