Conclusion: Responses to the social crisis

We have argued that the crisis of capitalism and democracy in 2008–12 was accompanied by a social crisis at least as profound. The obvious manifestations of this were growing inequalities (as the real incomes of the richest grew as fast as ever, while those of middle and lower earners fell); rising unemployment, especially among the young generation; and falling standards of care for older and disabled citizens. This in turn has led to a crisis in social policy and social work, many of whose assumptions have been based on projections of continual economic growth and the prospects of increasing material prosperity for each successive generation.