Beatrice and Sidney Webb

1895 - 1910 - Fabianism and a time for social reform

1895
The School Founders
The Webbs: Beatrice (1858-1943) and Sidney (1859-1947)

The Webbs were social reformers, founding members of the Fabian Society, prolific writers, and the founders of LSE. They came from diverse backgrounds - hers social and prosperous, whereas Sidney's father was a radical who had worked for John Stuart Mill in the 1865 election. In 1875 Sidney became a clerk in the City of London at the age of 16, educating himself by evening classes. He took an external Law degree at London and he was called to the Bar in 1885-6. They married in 1892, and it was a partnership in which they devoted their lives to the cause of social reform and education.

Sidney was Professor of Public Administration at LSE from 1912-1927, but he and Beatrice preferred to let the School (their 'child') grow autonomously under the appointed Directors. Politically, they focused their energy on local administration rather than in parliament, but events brought them progressively closer to the workings of government. Beatrice Webb was a member of the Royal Commission on the Poor Law (1905-09). She and Sidney authored the Commission's Minority Report, advocating the confrontation of poverty through government organisations and focusing on specific causes. Their recommendations were bypassed by events at the time, but successive governments subsequently adopted the approach they piloted. Sidney played a central role in the formation of the Labour Party, serving on its executive from 1915-25, and largely writing its constitution in 1918. He was a Labour Member of Parliament from 1922-29. He was president of the Board of Trade in 1924, Dominions Secretary 1929-30, and Colonial Secretary 1929-31. He was created Baron Passfield in 1929.

The Webbs' writing on trade unionism, labour history, and local government considerably affected contemporary political theory and practice. Sidney's work with the Technical Education Board and the London County Council greatly influenced technical and secondary education and educational administration. They published profusely. Beatrice's works include The Co-operative Movement in Great Britain (1891), My Apprenticeship (1926), and Our Partnership (1948). Joint works include Industrial Democracy (1897), The History of Trade Unionism (1894), and Soviet Communism (1935 )