In 1989 Charles Murray visited Britain to see if there was a development of an “Underclass”, as he had seen in America. The Underclass more than just being unemployed and in poverty were engaging in crime and having illegitimate children, according to Murray. He uses the rise in illegitimacy to bolster his argument. In Britain it had risen from 10.6% in 1979 to 25.6% by 1988; this is important as children without fathers are unruly (apparently). The development of the underclass is also associated with the rising crime rates at the time, Murray claimed that property crime in Britain was almost as high as in the USA; 1,623 per 100,000. Crime is seen as damaging to Murray and with violent crime on the rise, this would be damaging to society for people become defensive and suspicious. As for unemployment, the problem seemed to lie in the unwillingness of young men to take jobs. This is due to the changing attitudes towards work from the younger generations; living off the state was seen as more acceptable. He believed that these young unemployed men, because they were not able to support a family are less likely to marry and this is where the rise in illegitimacy comes from. When Murray returned he said there was a ‘deepening crisis’, that Britain’s underclass was growing with rising levels of violent crime, rise in illegitimacy and an increase in the numbers of males aged 18-24 who were unemployed.

Murray argues that the benefit system needed reformation to discourage single parenthood and encourage marriage, to stabilise society. Benefits in his eyes are responsible for producing those who are unwilling to participate in society fully and have gainful employment.