William Harbutt Dawson (27 July 1860 – 7 March 1948)[1] was a British journalist, civil servant and author, and an acknowledged expert on German politics and society.
Dawson was therefore a natural choice to advise the Liberal government on setting up a social welfare system for the United Kingdom.
He consulted particularly with Emil Münsterberg, a leading German expert who advised several foreign governments on social security issues.
Labour exchanges, pensions and national insurance were among the matters where Dawson contributed to government legislation.
On his retirement in 1920, Dawson moved to Oxford and became a man of letters, continuing to write on Germany and other subjects.