This article assesses how far New Labour thinking about welfare reform has
been influenced by ideas and developments in the United States. Having ente
red office declaring its determination to 'think the unthinkable', the Blai
r administration has subsequently been in earnest pursuit of the workable.
It has looked to the US for ideas about wage supplementation and - especial
ly - welfare to work programmes. More broadly,the language in which these p
olicies are presented and justified has drawn heavily upon that of US polit
icians and commentators. The article discusses the extent and the significa
nce of this 'Americanisation' of the welfare debate. It argues that its mos
t important consequence has been to sustain and enhance a moralism which is
common to New Labour and Thatcherism, but distrusted by both 'One Nation'
conservatism and 'Old Labour' social democracy.