William Beveridge

Date of Birth: March 5, 1879

Zodiac Sign: Pisces

Date of Death: March 16, 1963

Biography

William Henry Beveridge, 1st Baron Beveridge, was a British economist and social reformer, best known for his influential report on social insurance and allied services. Born on March 5, 1879, in Rangpur, India, he was educated at Balliol College, Oxford. Beveridge’s career spanned academia, government service, and public policy advocacy. He played a crucial role in the development of the British welfare state, particularly through the publication of the Beveridge Report in 1942, which laid the foundation for the modern welfare state in the United Kingdom. He served as Director of the London School of Economics from 1919 to 1937 and was later elected as a Liberal Member of Parliament. Beveridge was ennobled as Baron Beveridge of Tuggal in 1946. He passed away on March 16, 1963.

5 Interesting Facts about William Beveridge

1. William Beveridge’s report identified five “Giant Evils” in society: squalor, ignorance, want, idleness, and disease.

2. He served as Permanent Secretary to the Ministry of Food during World War I.

3. Beveridge was instrumental in the establishment of the National Health Service (NHS) in the UK.

4. He was knighted in 1919 and later raised to the peerage as Baron Beveridge of Tuggal in 1946.

5. Beveridge’s ideas influenced not only the UK but also inspired social welfare policies in other countries around the world.

5 Most Interesting Quotes from William Beveridge

1. “The state is or can be master of money, but in a free society it is master of very little else.”

2. “A revolutionary moment in the world’s history is a time for revolutions, not for patching.”

3. “Want is one only of five giants on the road of reconstruction.”

4. “The object of government in peace and in war is not the glory of rulers or of races, but the happiness of the common man.”

5. “The best social insurance is to be found in the employment of the individual.”

Highest Net Worth Achieved

William Beveridge did not accumulate significant personal wealth, as his career was primarily in public service and academia. His contributions were more ideological and policy-oriented than financial. Therefore, he did not achieve a notable net worth.