The Life and Times of Sydney and Beatrice Webb, 1858-1905

"Sidney and Beatrice Webb were the most important British contributors to the socialist tradition. This is the first book to place them convincingly in their times. Sidney Webb is seen as the archetype of the 'professional man' at the time when the old ascendancy of the 'professional gentleman' was being challenged. Beatrice Webb, unlike her sisters, was not prepared to be simply a lady whose status depended upon that of her husband. If she still accepted the traditional view that women had a special responsibility to the poor, that was informed by an appreciation of sociology rather than of organised Christianity."--BOOK JACKET.