The Moral State We’re In

A study of the moral state of the nation – the acid test of this being how we treat the weakest among us. Rabbi Julia Neuberger will assess the situation in the UK from her own unique viewpoint, and promises to draw some challenging and thought-provoking conclusions.

Just as Will Hutton looked at the political landscape at a turning point in Britain, Rabbi Julia will take the moral temperature of the nation by looking at the ways in which we treat the weakest amongst us. The National Health Service, government pensions and asylum seekers all make daily headlines, and here is a writer with the moral authority and mastery of the necessary information to undertake this timely project.

The way we treat the weak and vulnerable members of society has long been an established way to judge how civilised a society is. In this book, Julia will look at the extent to which the elderly are thought a burden, the way we care for the mentally ill, attitudes to asylum seekers, support for ex-offenders as well as the care of children and the future of society in the UK.

Her straight-forward approach to what has elsewhere proven highly esoteric, is here written with ease and fluidity and with a style that is highly approachable for those interested in the state of their nation with purely social, rather than academic, motivations.

With her uncomplicated but extremely intelligent and candid take on the issues that make daily headlines, and with Julia’s high media profile, this book is guaranteed to tap into the state of our nation.

About the author

Educated at Newnham College, Cambridge and Leo Baeck College, London, Julia Neuberger became a rabbi in 1977 and served the South London Liberal Synagogue for the following 12 years, before leaving to pursue her interest in research and health care ethics. A frequent broadcaster and a writer on a variety of subjects, Julia is the author of books on Judaism, women, healthcare ethics and palliative care, and frequently writes articles for national broadsheets. Positions held include Chief Executive of the King's Fund, member of the Committee on Standards in Public Life 2001, and was recently admitted to the House of Lords.