Family life has changed dramatically over the past 60 years.

Increased opportunities for women, greater freedom and autonomy, and a more equal domestic sphere have brought great gains for human freedom. However, argues David Goodhart, there have been losses too: our greater freedoms have produced negative consequences in family breakdown, children's declining mental health, and the undervaluing of the traditionally female domains of care. Sharply falling birthrates also present major economic and social challenges.

For many people, especially in the bottom half of the income spectrum, the costs now outweigh the benefits. The Care Dilemma argues that we need a new policy settlement that supports gender equality while also recognising the importance of stable families and community life, and that sees having children as a public as well as private good.

About the Author
David Goodhart is Head of Demography at the think tank Policy Exchange. He is a former Director of Demos, and former Editor of Prospect magazine, which he founded in 1995. David is a prominent figure in public debate in the UK, a well-known broadcaster, author, commentator and journalist, and a commissioner on the Equality and Human Rights Commission. The Care Dilemma is the third in a trilogy of books examining where contemporary Western societies are out of kilter - following the Sunday Times-bestselling The Road to Somewhere and Head Hand Heart.

Reviews

'Nobody is addressing our social ills from cradle to grave with the clarity and comprehensiveness of David Goodhart. Drawing together the best thinking and research and adding his own original take, he has produced a masterly overview which must be read and acted upon' - Paul Morland

'As the stable married family has become rarer, particularly among lower-income households, and as the state increasingly prioritises encouraging both parents into paid work, we face a pressing challenge: how can we coordinate our lives to invest adequately in both private and public care? Goodhart considers the consequences of these changes - from the epidemic of mental fragility among young people to the plunge in fertility - and questions whether our current social and economic models truly serve our well-being. With sharp insights and compelling arguments, this book is a vital call to rethink how we value care in both the home and the public economy' - Ruth Kelly, Former Labour Minister for Women and Equalities

'Wherever you are on the political spectrum, Goodhart's books demand to be read. His latest contribution is no exception. As ever iconoclastic, at times shocking and always challenging, he manages to offer fresh insight on to what is arguably the greatest challenge of our time - the future of the family, and how we care for and live with one another' - Jon Cruddas, former Labour MP and main author of the party's 2015 manifesto

'This essential book argues that social care is a feminist issue, with women disproportionately represented in a skilled but undervalued workforce ... His proposal that social care should be reimagined as a national prevention service is an important addition to an important debate' - Oonagh Smyth, CEO, Skills for Care

'A fresh and incisive analysis of one of the most pressing political problems facing Britain, along with the rest of the developed world. We must all be cared for when we are young, old, and sick. This is an essential component of human living, not an embarrassing afterthought. And yet too few people in public life have thought deeply about who exactly is going to do all that caring in the modern world, given the fact of an ageing population, combined with the mass influx of women into the labour market during the second half of the twentieth century. In this new book, David Goodhart forces us all to reckon with these urgent questions' - Louise Perry, author of The Case Against the Sexual Revolution

'Nobody is addressing our social ills from cradle to grave with the clarity and comprehensiveness of David Goodhart. Drawing together the best thinking and research and adding his own original take, he has produced a masterly overview which must be read and acted upon' - Paul Morland, author of The Human Tide

'It is refreshing to read a book on care by a man, a man who writes about its necessity and value and the steep price we pay as a society for overlooking and denying that value ... we cannot address our profound care issues until we see them as human issues rather than women's issues' Anne-Marie Slaughter, CEO, New America and author of Unfinished Business: Women Men Work Family

'Essential reading for all British politicians and policy makers as we grapple with the social and economic implications of an aging society. The Care Dilemma brilliantly reveals how cultural shifts towards individualism and personal autonomy have made us materially richer but deprived both young and old of what they most desire; to be cared for by those who love them. Yet again, David Goodheart demonstrates his extraordinary ability to unpack the big issues of our age' - Miriam Cates

'The Care Dilemma is a profound exploration of the modern family, shedding light on the complex intersections of care, equality, and societal progress. With keen insights and thoughtful analysis, it challenges conventional wisdom and offers a fresh perspective on the evolving dynamics of family life. A must-read for anyone interested in understanding the true cost of social change' - Eliza Filby, author of Generation Shift

Book Information
ISBN 9781800753617
Author David Goodhart
Format Hardback
Page Count 256
Imprint Forum
Publisher Swift Press