PETER TOWNSEND was Professor of International Social Policy, LSE, and

Emeritus Professor of Social Policy, Bristol University. Over the course of

a long career his research interests included international social policy;

the sociology of poverty; inequalities in health; and ageing, disability

and the family. His most recent publications include The Right to Social

Security and National Development: Lessons from OECD Experience for

Low-Income Countries (2007), Child Poverty in the Developing World (coauthored

with David Gordon and others, 2003) and World Poverty: New

Policies to Defeat an Old Enemy (co-editor, 2002). A tireless activist and campaigner, he was cofounder

and president of the Disability Alliance, and a founding member

and president of the Child Poverty Action Group up until his

death in June 2009.

The downturn of the global economy has made the scope of the problems of poverty and unemployment worse across the whole world. This book makes the case for a comprehensive social security system to be developed in all countries, including the poorest ones, in order to eliminate desperate conditions of poverty, to reverse growing inequality and to sustain economic growth.

The establishment of universal social security systems has been one of the cornerstones of OECD countries' successful economic and social development and has contributed to reducing poverty and fostering social inclusion in today's rich countries. It is increasingly recognized that universal social security systems have an enormous potential for low income countries which has not yet been sufficiently explored. Recognizing that economic and social development are inextricably intertwined across countries, new international strategies are required to design appropriate social security policies which would effectively help to reduce poverty and productively contribute to economic and social development.