Welfare for the European Union in the Age of Globalization

Abstract

At the same time as Nazi-fascist armies ranged across Europe, some activists and scholars – contemplating the future of Europe after the war – focused their thoughts and actions on two objectives: – building a system that would prevent countries from resorting to destructive conflicts and war; – establishing the conditions to ensure that all citizens could benefit from more human living conditions and essential goods. In London, William Beveridge founded the Federal Union Research Institute to promote European unity, dedicated his first book to peace, and prepared his “plan” to introduce the national health service. At Ventotene, Ernesto Rossi, together with Altiero Spinelli and Eugenio Colorni, wrote For a Free and United Europe. A Draft Manifesto and then gave substance to his social ideas with the book Abolishing Misery, in which he mentioned having heard about the “Beveridge Plan”. In his autobiography, Altiero Spinelli wrote that much of the inspiration for the Manifesto came from reading