In Britain by the 1990s the gap between rich and poor had become greater than at any time since the modern welfare state ushered in the age of 'social citizenship'. Poverty, Riches and Social Citizenship not only provides an accessible introduction to current debates about inequality, exclusion and the nature of citizenship, but also presents an innovative exploration of popular beliefs and values. The authors develop a unique series of conceptual models by which to understand the competing traditions which have informed ideas about citizenship, and the contradictory moral notions that currently inform popular expectations. The book is essential reading for students, teachers and researchers in social policy, sociology and related subjects.