Reading...
Play button
Play button
Use LEFT and RIGHT arrow keys to navigate between flashcards;
Use UP and DOWN arrow keys to flip the card;
H to show hint;
A reads text to speech;
396 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
|
Test Question
|
Answer 1
|
|
|
How does “proxy shopping” introduce the discipline of market competition into the purchase of service contracts between government contractors and for-profit service providers? (Gilbert/Terrell p.162)
|
"One of the problems that results from for-profit companies providing social
|
|
|
"
|
|
|
|
Transformation of the Welfare State describes Snower’s proposal for radical privatization of social welfare through the development of private safety net accounts. Describe two advantages associated with this type of private safety net account. (Gilbert p.124)
|
Among the advantages associated with the type of private safety net account proposed by Dennis Snower are the following: 1) greater liquidity and flexibility, in that they represent personal assets that can be drawn upon and consumed at various points in life and that can accrue interest and be converted to a pension at time of retirement. This is distinct from public benefits, which only “belong” to a person if they need to access them in times of unemployment, etc. 2) making individuals responsible for their own savings provides a disincentive for them to tap into that potential wealth too early or too often.
|
|
|
If they had to choose between providing benefits in the form of vouchers or services, which would individualists most prefer and which would collectivits (universalits) most prefer? How about cash, or in-kind? What are the benefit and deficits of each: cash, in-kind and vouchers?
|
"•
|
|
|
•
|
Individualists would prefer cash or vouchers to in kind benefits. (Dimensions Chap 5)
|
|
|
o
|
Cash allows people to maintain personal independence and exercise freedom of choice in purchases.
|
|
|
o
|
Vouchers offer a balance of consumer choice and social control, e.g. food stamps.
|
|
|
o
|
In kind benefits are produced most efficiently at the lowest cost but eliminate choice and utilize the largest amount of social control.
|
|
|
"
|
|
|
|
The 1662 Law of Settlement and the Speenhamland Act of 1795 were designed to address two issues that continue to plague modern day policy makers. Briefly describe these issues.
|
The 1662 LAW OF SETTLEMENT stated that parishes were in charge of caring for their poor. It brought up the issue of migration. People had to stay in their parish and contribute to it. People could only move if they had permission from another parish to move there. If they were not contributing to their new parish, they could be sent back. Nowadays, policy makers are still dealing with the isue of migration. They ask, "Who is responsible for caring for the poor if they move?" The SPEENHAMLAND Act of 1795 was made in order to subsidize families who didn't make enough to provide for their families. Working poor who didn't make enough to meet living standards were given extra loaves of bread to reach that standard. Nowadays, the EITC program works similarly. It gives working poor a subsidy when filing taxes to reach the poverty live. These families can receive up to $4000. Speenhaland and EITC both deal with the "working poor." These programs leave out the unemployed poor and those working poor who don't make enough to count.
|
|
|
What did the research findings suggest about the impact of the Seattle and Denver income maintenance experiments (SIME/DIME) on the incentive to work and family stability?
|
"Dimensions pages: 101, 108-109, 111-113
|
|
|
"
|
|
|
|
Reverend Charles Loring Brace, founder of the NYC Children's Aid Society, implemented a controversial solution to the plight of homelessness and delinquent children what was his program and why was it controversial?
|
"•
|
|
|
•
|
His “immigrant parties,” also known as “orphan trains” were controversial because of high rates of child abuse where the kids were sent (farm families were not screened), the families of the children did not want them shipped off to the Midwest, the Midwest did not want all of NYC’s delinquents, and the Catholic Church believed that the program was just a way to convert Catholic children to Protestantism.
|
|
|
"
|
|
|
|
In an influential paper given at the 1915 National Conference of Charities and Corrections, Dr. Abraham Flexner responded to the question: Is social work a Profession? Explain his answer.
|
"Flexner said social work is not a profession because:
|
|
|
•
|
Lacked scientifically derived knowledge base that was transferable
|
|
|
•
|
Did not have a unique methodology
|
|
|
•
|
Did not have special technical skills or techniques communicated through an education process
|
|
|
•
|
Social workers are mediators rather than originators of action – almost anyone could do it.
|
|
|
"
|
|
|
|
What is one general reason usually given in favor of the means-test and one general reason given that is in opposition to this approach? What are the benefits of means testing?
|
"Means test: income/asset test designed to determine if individual or household meets economic criteria for receiving social welfare benefit, like public housing or food stamps)
|
|
|
o
|
Pro: Means testing circumscribes eligibility according to need, thus assuring available funds are focused on those with greatest need; incentive people to get off of welfare, deals with ‘cheaters’
|
|
|
o
|
Con: stigmatizes and shames recipients, can be applied to socially unpopular groups; can divide society into distinct groups of givers and receivers.
|
|
|
o
|
The way the means test is applied can be denigrating: for example, unscheduled home visits convey the message that the client’s private life is not respected.
|
|
|
"
|
|
|
|
Third-party purchase-of-service arrangements in social welfare do not create normal market incentives because of the relationship among buyers, sellers and consumers is different than that found in regular market transactions. Explain this statement.
|
Typically, a producer adjusts their product in response to buyer/consumer feedback. However, third-party purchase-of-service arrangements are unresponsive to consumer signals and consequently fail to regulate cost and quality because the buyer is the government and the consumers are the clients seeking services. This arrangement places producers in an advantageous position because the buyer does not consume the product, and the consumers do not bear the expense. In the market, an unsatisfied buyer simply stops consuming, and an unsatisfied consumer stops buying. In this system, however, consumers have little recourse if services are unsatisfactory. (Transformations 117)
|
|
|
What were the 3 major categories of dependents as defined in the Elizabethan Poor Law of 1601 and what were local authorities supposed to provide each of these categories?
|
"Elizabethan Poor Law defined the following categories of dependents:
|
|
|
1)
|
needy children
|
|
|
2)
|
able-bodied poor
|
|
|
3)
|
the worthy poor.
|
|
|
"
|
|
|
|
Numerical equality and proportional equality (i.e. equity) are two concepts that inform efforts to achieve a just distribution of resources in society. If you were designing an old age pension benefit how would the cash value of this benefit be determined according to each of these concepts.
|
Numerical equality means that everyone should get the same treatment and benefits. Proportional equality means that similar people should be treated equally based on their individual merit/virtue. In a pension system, numerical equality would mean that everyone should get the exact same amount of retirement money regardless of who gave more to the pension fund (social security). In a proportional equality pension program, those who contributed more to the pension fund would get more in the end and those that contributed very little would get very little in the end.
|
|
|
Individualists and collectivists tend to have different preferences concerning whether benefits should be given generally in cash or in kind (i.e. services and goods). Explain their positions on this choice.
|
INDIVIDUALISTS are pro cash. (Conservatives, advocates for less government) Cash - offers recipients considerable latitude to exercise their individual preferences. Individualists believe in freedom of choice provision (cash benefits) which requires minimal involvement from the government (prefer the poor should rely on the private, voluntary and religious arrangements) and it feeds the market economy. They believe that problems and poverty are the result of bad personal choices so individuals should be responsible for helping themselves. COLLECTIVISTS are pro in-kind. (Liberals, advocates for more government, as protecition against the market). In K\kind- recipients are limited to whatever specific benefits (housing, medical care, counseling, therapy, information etc) are offered. Collectivists believe in social control provision (in-kind benefits) because it will lead towards equality in education, health, housing, etc. They want government to provide broad program coverage, insuring full opportunity, economic security and basic social goods.
|
|
|
When the charity organizations first began what were their agents who worked with the clients called and what did they do?
|
They were called the friendly visitors. These agents conducted an investigation on "cases" of needy applicants and decided a course of action. They also instructed the poor in ways to better manage their lives. they tried to "correct" they ways of the poor to teach them middle class values. they believed in giving spiritual aid rather than material aid.
|
|
|
What are the differences in the groups covered and the level of government responsibility for SSI (supplemental security income) and GA (general assistance)?
|
SSI covers the disabled, blind, elderly, etc (these are mitigating circumstances), it is means-tested for eligibility, federally funded, there's a universal entitlement, and no time limit. GA covers able-bodied unemployed poor (usually men), is not federally funded (distributed at the state level), there's a time limit and amount is at the discretion of the state, and eligibility is determined by the state.
|
|
|
What is in-door relief? How would it compare to modern forms of public assistance (ie. SSI/AFDC/TANF)? Or Compare indoor and outdoor relief.
|
IN-DOOR RELIEF (institutional: almshouses, orphanages, etc.) - able bodied, "unworthy" poor who sought public aid would be institutionalized in workhouses where their behaveior not only could be controlled but where they presumably would acquire habits of industry and labor and thus more self-sufficient lives. Poor Law Reform of 1834 can be comared to TANF. The Poor Law Reform forced people to work and they sent them to a "work house" and TANF, a work oriented reform imposed time limits on receiving cash benefits and forced people to go to work. SSI, cash grants for the disabled. Poor Law 1601 AFDC, Aid to Families with Dependent Children, income eligible to receive cash grants. OUTDOOR RELIEF: refers to services offered to client in his or her home and was considered "moral relief" by private agencies such as churches. ?? What can outdoor relief be compared to??
|
|
|
Who is favored most by the dependent's benefits under social security, the non-working wife or a high income husband, the non-working wife of a low-income husband, or the working wife in a two earner middle income family?
|
Since dependent benefits are 50% of main worker's benefits, non working wife of rich man is > than non working wife of poor man. dependent benefits is subsidized up to half of main workers salary, so working wife in dual earning family gets less than non working wife of rich guy. Her income is much less than the husbands - she'll get less individual benefits and less dependent benefits.
|
|
|
What was the Aramony Scandal about? How did it impact social philanthropy?
|
William Aramony was president of the United Way for 22 years. UW is a NPO that raises funds to be distributed to community NPOs. He brought the agency from a small organization to a business-like corporation raising billions of dollars. He was well respected until journalists began to report that he ws earning 350,000 and taking advantage of perks such as trips, limos, and he was employing his son at an independent corp stating with UW funds. Contributors and philanthropists withheld their money and demanded that Aramony be fired. He was found guilty of conspiracy, fraud and false tax returns and sentenced to 7 years and a $500,000 fine. the impact on soical philanthropy: contributors doubted UW and were reluctant to donate - financially affected UW and smaller NPOs it served. Trust compromised, etc.
|
|
|
What are the 6 conditions that justify government intervention in capitalist society?
|
1) NIGHT WATCHMEN: protection from external enemies, government serves as an umpire or regulator and imposes rules so that the market operates fairly. 2)TECHNICAL MONOPOLY: to control goods that are monopolized (water, sewer) 3)NEIGHBORHOOD EFFECTS: When the benefits of services can't be limited and there is no way of controlling consumer consumption example is fire and police department - these benefit everyone. People don't pay for service but it benefits all. 4) PATERNALISM: Government should intervene to help those who can't help themselves. 5) REDISTRIBUTION: allocation of goods and services based on market, can't have extreme inequalities in power and influence, therefore must refine and moderate the inequalities via redistributive methods. Take some $ from top and redistribute it to the bottom 1/2 so that all people will have sufficient $ to live on. STABILIZATION: government should be able to intervene and stabilize economy in periods of economic distress. Can be done through wage and price control.
|
|
|
What levels of government administer General Assistance Programs? Who do these programs serve?
|
GA is administered by state, county or local government, or combo of these. No federal funds are used so some states don't have GA. GA serves non-elderly or childless individuals in need of financial assistance or who don't qualify for federally funded programs. This includes people waiting to get an SSI (disability) or whose AFDC/TANF benefits are too low to cover an emergency.
|
|
|
The concern about the privatization of social services is that it will promote a process of preferential selection. Explain.
|
"a)The process of preferential selection refers to service providers choosing the cheapest and/or easiest clients to serve. Choice of clients is made according to eligibility criteria that private agencies devise, not according to client needs. This practice is often termed “creaming” of clients, meaning selection of clients that are most likely to be successful users of a service.
|
|
|
"
|
|
|
|
Who established Hull House and what kind of work did this organization do?
|
Jane Addams founded Hull House in Chicago. Part of the Settlement House movement. this organization focused on residence, research, and reform. Addams and others lived among the poor to understand the social and economic environment, which caused poverty. They were interested in reforming through removal of social and economic barriers and providing assistance to disadvantaged population. Unlike the COS, the Settlement house movement did not judge the poor as worthy or unworthy of assistance.
|
|
|
Doctrine of "less eligibility"
|
Says that the status of people who are dependent on public assistance should not be any better off than the lowest paid independent laborer. It says that regardless of the need or cause, the poor recipient would be so miserable that they would find an incentive to get to work. First expressed in poor law reform 1834, where they sought to end public assistance for able-bodied persons and nationally coordinate poor law services.
|
|
|
6 sectors of helping
|
1) Family 2) Church 3) Work 4) Community Self-Help 5) government 6)Private sector business
|
|
|
Explain theories of Galbraith, Friedman and Buchannan
|
for
|
|
|
Would the “public choice” school of thought (Buchanan) tend to argue that government spending on social welfare is too large or too small?
|
"Readings: Am SW Policy, Chp 1, p. 9-10; September 4 lecture
|
|
|
-
|
Too large – increasing taxes is a waste, because the system is inherently distorted – instead, we need to make better choices about how money is spent
|
|
|
-
|
In exchange for approval, the government is constantly giving in to requests made by various lobbies/interest groups.
|
|
|
-
|
Without care for the increasing debt they are accruing, politicians give into spending more and more on various public interests to ensure that the lobbies/interest groups will later re-elect them
|
|
|
-
|
There is an inherent bias toward overspending, because the allocation system is not disciplined by such market forces as competition
|
|
|
-
|
Lobbies/interest groups rarely compete with each other – sometimes they even band together – because there is no market counter force – it is all driven by politicians’ desire to keep their opinion polls ups and get re-elected
|
|
|
-
|
Buchanan argues that the politicians – driven by their political circumstances (vs. economic realties of the country/state/county) – tend to say yes to the lobbies/interest groups that approach them
|
|
|
-
|
Lobbies/interest groups are never satisfied and keep demaning more
|
|
|
-
|
Cycle continues to eventually bankrupt the government – services increase, revenues decrease, budget deficit increases – Buchanan argues that there are no checks and balances – the process inherently spends too much – no checks and balances
|
|
|
-
|
“…strong incentives exist for interest groups to make demands on government. The resulting concessions…flow directly to the interest group while their costs are spread among all taxpayers. Initial concessions lead to demands for further concessions…interest groups resist paying taxes directed specifically toward them and…no interest group has much incentives to support general taxes…strong demands…accompanied by declining revenues lead to government borrowing, which in turn results in large deficits” (Am SW Policy, p. 9)
|
|
|
-
|
In sum, interest group demands lead to budget deficits – hence, government should limit concessions to these groups as much as possible
|
|
|
"
|
|
|
|
3 Pillars of welfare state
|
1) economic security 2) safety net 3) basic needs
|
|
|
What are two primary forms of federal housing assistance to the poor? How do the direct federal expenditures on these programs compare to housing related tax expenditures?
|
PUBLIC HOUSING: Serves people whose incomes are too low to afford housing in the private market. SECTION 8: system which allows low income tenants to occupy existing and privately owned housing. Subsidy covers the difference between the fixed percentage of the tenant's income (30%) and fair market rent of a housing unit. DIRECT RELATED TAX EXPENDITURES: for these two programs is $19 billion a year. HOUSING RELATED TAX EXPENDITURES: Government spends 66 billion a year in subsidies to homeowners through mortgage interest and property tax deductions. Only 1/4 of this spending is directed toward low-income housing. Therefore it's primarily benefits households in the top level of income distribution. In comparing the two a much greater proportion of federal expenditures are used for mortgage deductions paid by government subsidies, far outstripping assistance to the poor.
|
|
|
What is the difference between progressive/regressive taxes? Characterize payroll tax used to finance social security.
|
PROGRESSIVE: levied in accordance to ability to pay. Rich pay more taxes, ie income tax. REGRESSIVE: taxes levied in same amount for everyone regardless of income, ie sales tax. PAYROLL TAX falls between the two. Progressive because those earning and contributing less are receiving proportionally bigger % than those giving more and some receive benefits w/out contributing at all (allocation progressive) Since benefit allocation is disproportionately helping low wage earners, this is hidden universalism. Regressive because everyone who earns up to a certain amount pays the same % for SS tax, after that they stop paying SS--collection regressive. Also, regressive be/ generations because young workers' deductions are going to non-working elders.
|
|
|
Compare the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and the housing mortgage interest deduction in terms of socioeconomic groups that gained the most from the benefit.
|
"
|
|
|
"
|
|
|
|
The nature of social provisions went from intangible and limited to concrete and diversified. Explain.
|
INTANGIBLE AND LIMITED: Casework services that presumably would rehabilitate the poor, changing their behavior in ways that would help them become economically independent (advice and counseling) and the service was limited by eligibility restrictions. CONCRETE AND DIVERSIFIED: Concrete programs like day care centers, or drug treatment centers, work training programs and were more widely available. The movement of diversification stated that each state was free to support whatever social services it deemed appropriate for it's communities. Only requirement was that these services be directed to one of five federally specified goals which were very broad.
|
|
|
Describe the seven techniques that advocacy researchers use to exaggerate the the scope and intensity of problems.
|
1) Broad definition of a problem 2) Criticism of other methods 3) Victim sample groups 4) Horror and atrocity stories 5) Publish scientific method 6) changing definition if criticized. 7) regress to ad-homonym
|
|
|
Describe 4 basic principles for allocation of social welfare benefits.
|
ATTRIBUTED NEED: Eligibility conditional upon membership in a group that has a common normative need. Based on 2 conditions-- group oriented allocations & and normative criteria of need. COMPENSATION: Eligibility conditional on membership in groups that have made special contributions to society or have suffered harm from society (ie VA benefits). Based on group oriented allocations & normative criteria of equity. DIAGNOSTIC DIFFERENTIATION: Eligibility conditional on professional judgments of individual cases where special goods/services may be needed (physical/mental). Based on individual allocations & technical diagnostic criteria of need. MEANS-TESTED NEED: Eligibility conditional on evidence of individual’s inability to purchase goods a/o services. Based on individual allocations & economic criteria of need.
|
|
|
What is the doctrine of "less eligibility" and where was it first expressed?
|
"a) Less Eligibility: Statement that the condition of all welfare recipients, regardless of need or cause, should be worse than that of the lowest paid self-supporting laborer.
|
|
|
"
|
|
|
|
Explain Social Darwinism and its implications for the development of social welfare policies offering public aid to the poor.
|
Social Darwinism: a union of laissez-faire economics and doctrine that within the struggle for existence, the fittest survive, essentially helping to justify the interpretation that the poor were responsible for their own state, due to a lack of industry and morality (circa late 19th century) These ideas placed the responsibility of poverty squarely on the shoulders of the poor. Poor were weak and burdensome and did not contribute to society. It created the popular concept that giving aid to the poor went against the natural competition for resources and allowed the poor to breed and reproduce instead of dying out.
|
|
|
What is social welfare policy according to the analytic framework in the Dimensions book?
|
"•
|
|
|
(1)
|
What are the bases of social allocations? (Who gets it? )
|
|
|
(2)
|
What are the types of social provisions to be allocated? (What do they get, cash or in -kind?)
|
|
|
(3)
|
What are the strategies for delivery of these provisions? (How is it delivered?)
|
|
|
(4)
|
What are the ways to finance these provisions? (How is it paid for?)
|
|
|
(5)
|
What are the social values that support these social allocations?
|
|
|
(6)
|
What are the theories and assumptions that underlie these programs?
|
|
|
"
|
|
|
|
What is the contemporary Marxist view of the welfare state and the capitalist society?
|
the Marxist belief was that equality should trump everything else. We are all the same, therefore, we should all get the same. This is a very idealized and human view of the world. Marxists view the welfare state as a capitalist form of self-protection. It subdues the revolutionary tendencies, moderates class conflict and protects the interests of the elite. It subsidizes a barely sustainable form of work that exploits the worker and undermines his capacity for creative work. It controls the conditons under which work is organized. The function of poverty according to Marx is that it provides capitalists with an "army" of surplus laborers who can be used to depress the wage structure of society. Social welfare is a "hand-maiden" to capitalism.
|
|
|
The recognition of tax expenditures changes the prevailing conceptions of who gains from social welfare transfers. What are tax expenditures and how do they change our views on who benefits from social security?
|
"Readings: Dimensions, Chp 2, p. 55-57
|
|
|
-
|
income tax deductions for interest payments on home mortgages parallel federally financed public housing and housing allowances for the poor in that both measures affect how much you are paying for where you live
|
|
|
-
|
deductions and credits for charitable contributions, occupation-based health and pensions plans, and child care parallel direct subsidies in that both put cash in your pocket that you would otherwise not have (i.e., if the deductions and credits did not exist)
|
|
|
"
|
|
|
|
List one similarity and one difference between TANF and General Assistance (GA).
|
Similarities: serves similar clients, eligibility is determined by means-testing, services are provided as either cash or in-kind, neither is administered at the federal level. Differences: GA is regulated by state and local government, benefits individuals, administered by state, county or locality, not all states have GA. TANF is federally funded and regulated, benefits families, administered by the state, required by feds for all states to have.
|
|
|
What was the role of social caseworkers under the 1962 Service Amendments? How has this changed since TANF?
|
Since 1962, there has been a broadening in social services provided by caseworkers. In 1962, there was an emphasis on counseling to rehabilitate clients and decrease dependency (therapeutic agents). With TANF, we moved away from clinicians to watchdogs to ensure beneficiaries meet program requirements (ex. Focus more on whether or not they are looking for work than on counseling needs that might prevent them from getting to work), impose sanctions if they for not comply with regulations (social control agents)
|
|
|
1. Public social security schemes are usually organized on the bases of either “defined benefits” or “defined contributions.” What is the difference and identify which approach is more progressive.
|
"o
|
|
|
o
|
A defined benefit plan is a retirement plan set up to pay a fixed annual amount to eligible employees during their retirement years. It's called defined benefit because the quarterly or annual contribution is based upon an actuarial determination of what the participants' retirement benefits should be, not on profits. This is the traditional benefit scheme.
|
|
|
o
|
I would argue that the defined benefit is more progressive in that it allows for a guaranteed amount to be paid out upon retirement; defined contributes are locked into the market and come retirement you may have less money that what you actually contributed. Even though more “progressive” states have moved towards defined contribution plans.
|
|
|
"
|
|
|
|
"1.
|
How is the official poverty line measured according to the formula developed in the mid-1960’s by the Social Security Administration? How does this calculation of the poverty line treat the cash value of in-kind benefits and earned income tax credits and the costs of income taxes and work-related expenses? Pg 83 dimensions"
|
|
|
o
|
Why three? Orshansky used a factor of three because the Agriculture Department’s 1955 Household Food Consumption Survey found that for families of three or more persons, the average dollar value of all food used during a week (both at home and away from home) accounted for about one third of their total money income after taxes.
|
|
|
•
|
Income used to compute poverty status- Money Incomes
|
|
|
o
|
Includes earnings, unemployment compensation, workers’ compensation, Social Security, Supplemental Security Income, public assistance, veterans’ payments, survivor benefits, pension or retirement income, interest, dividends, rents, royalties, income from estates, trusts, educational assistance, alimony, child support, assistance from outside the household, and other miscellaneous sources.
|
|
|
o
|
Noncash benefits (such as food stamps and housing subsidies) do not count.
|
|
|
o
|
Before taxes.
|
|
|
o
|
Excludes capital gains or losses.
|
|
|
o
|
If a person lives with a family, add up the income of all family members (Non-relatives, such as housemates, do not count.)
|
|
|
"
|
|
|
|
"2.
|
In the early years of social work, Hull House (settlement houses) and the Charity Organization Societies represented two alternative approaches to dealing with the problem of poverty. Briefly identify the approaches associated with these organizations. What are the differences between the approaches? "
|
|
|
o
|
The COS’s Mary Richmond’s approach was one of casework that focused on “the individual, …the understanding of his needs, …and his adjustment to his environment.” Using the professional tools established in Richmond’s book Social Diagnosis, the COS’s friendly visitors sought to reform individuals so that they could become contributing members of society. They made decisions on the basis of judgmental attitudes and middle-class values, emphasizing the individual and moral causes of destitution, drawing distinctions between the worthy and the unworthy poor.
|
|
|
o
|
Poverty is the result of individual deficiency. Victim blamed position. The “friendly visitor” went from door to door attempting to help individuals fix their problems and leave poverty by following their example of good moral behavior. They focused their work on investigation of individuals living in poverty and sought to provide them with moral and spiritual guidance to help them out of poverty.
|
|
|
•
|
Settlement Houses / Hull House
|
|
|
o
|
The residents of the Settlement House, Jane Adams, sought to promote social and economic reform so that those who had dreams about getting ahead would have the opportunity to do so. Settlement house workers looked upon all the indigent alike, with no worthy/unworthy dichotomy, stressing that is was social economic conditions that made and kept people poor. The philosophy of the settlement house movement led to social and economic change (including policy change)
|
|
|
o
|
Poverty as a problem of social conditions and injustice, not individual moral ineptitude. They focused their work on Residence, Reform, and Research within poor communities.
|
|
|
"
|
|
|
|
"3.
|
Government intervention in the free market of a capitalist society is often justified under conditions in which the allocation of goods or services has “Neighborhood effects” (or involves externalities). Explain and give an example of this condition."
|
|
|
•
|
The basic idea: If you can’t put a price on a service, you cannot control consumption. The market doesn’t work because in these products, it is difficult to charge for them and keep out free riders. It also does not cost more for additional people to use them. To make everyone pay their share, taxes are levied by the government.
|
|
|
•
|
Examples:
|
|
|
o
|
Public highways, the street in front of your house. (Except…toll roads!)
|
|
|
o
|
Public park – it benefits everyone, but who would pay for it?
|
|
|
o
|
Public health
|
|
|
•
|
Public goods benefit all of the public
|
|
|
•
|
Source: Lecture notes, Sept. 18
|
|
|
•
|
Additional resource, example: “The Neighborhood Effect on School Choice” at http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3647/is_199901/ai_n8846164/print.
|
|
|
"
|
|
|
|
Test Question
|
Answer 1
|
|
|
How does “proxy shopping” introduce the discipline of market competition into the purchase of service contracts between government contractors and for-profit service providers? (Gilbert/Terrell p.162)
|
"One of the problems that results from for-profit companies providing social
|
|
|
Transformation of the Welfare State describes Snower’s proposal for radical privatization of social welfare through the development of private safety net accounts. Describe two advantages associated with this type of private safety net account. (Gilbert p.124)
|
Among the advantages associated with the type of private safety net account proposed by Dennis Snower are the following: 1) greater liquidity and flexibility, in that they represent personal assets that can be drawn upon and consumed at various points in life and that can accrue interest and be converted to a pension at time of retirement. This is distinct from public benefits, which only “belong” to a person if they need to access them in times of unemployment, etc. 2) making individuals responsible for their own savings provides a disincentive for them to tap into that potential wealth too early or too often.
|
|
|
If they had to choose between providing benefits in the form of vouchers or services, which would individualists most prefer and which would collectivits (universalits) most prefer? How about cash, or in-kind? What are the benefit and deficits of each: cash, in-kind and vouchers?
|
"•
|
|
|
•
|
Individualists would prefer cash or vouchers to in kind benefits. (Dimensions Chap 5)
|
|
|
o
|
Cash allows people to maintain personal independence and exercise freedom of choice in purchases.
|
|
|
o
|
Vouchers offer a balance of consumer choice and social control, e.g. food stamps.
|
|
|
o
|
In kind benefits are produced most efficiently at the lowest cost but eliminate choice and utilize the largest amount of social control.
|
|
|
The 1662 Law of Settlement and the Speenhamland Act of 1795 were designed to address two issues that continue to plague modern day policy makers. Briefly describe these issues.
|
The 1662 LAW OF SETTLEMENT stated that parishes were in charge of caring for their poor. It brought up the issue of migration. People had to stay in their parish and contribute to it. People could only move if they had permission from another parish to move there. If they were not contributing to their new parish, they could be sent back. Nowadays, policy makers are still dealing with the isue of migration. They ask, "Who is responsible for caring for the poor if they move?" The SPEENHAMLAND Act of 1795 was made in order to subsidize families who didn't make enough to provide for their families. Working poor who didn't make enough to meet living standards were given extra loaves of bread to reach that standard. Nowadays, the EITC program works similarly. It gives working poor a subsidy when filing taxes to reach the poverty live. These families can receive up to $4000. Speenhaland and EITC both deal with the "working poor." These programs leave out the unemployed poor and those working poor who don't make enough to count.
|
|
|
What did the research findings suggest about the impact of the Seattle and Denver income maintenance experiments (SIME/DIME) on the incentive to work and family stability?
|
"Dimensions pages: 101, 108-109, 111-113
|
|
|
Reverend Charles Loring Brace, founder of the NYC Children's Aid Society, implemented a controversial solution to the plight of homelessness and delinquent children what was his program and why was it controversial?
|
"•
|
|
|
•
|
His “immigrant parties,” also known as “orphan trains” were controversial because of high rates of child abuse where the kids were sent (farm families were not screened), the families of the children did not want them shipped off to the Midwest, the Midwest did not want all of NYC’s delinquents, and the Catholic Church believed that the program was just a way to convert Catholic children to Protestantism.
|
|
|
In an influential paper given at the 1915 National Conference of Charities and Corrections, Dr. Abraham Flexner responded to the question: Is social work a Profession? Explain his answer.
|
"Flexner said social work is not a profession because:
|
|
|
•
|
Lacked scientifically derived knowledge base that was transferable
|
|
|
•
|
Did not have a unique methodology
|
|
|
•
|
Did not have special technical skills or techniques communicated through an education process
|
|
|
•
|
Social workers are mediators rather than originators of action – almost anyone could do it.
|
|
|
What is one general reason usually given in favor of the means-test and one general reason given that is in opposition to this approach? What are the benefits of means testing?
|
"Means test: income/asset test designed to determine if individual or household meets economic criteria for receiving social welfare benefit, like public housing or food stamps)
|
|
|
o
|
Pro: Means testing circumscribes eligibility according to need, thus assuring available funds are focused on those with greatest need; incentive people to get off of welfare, deals with ‘cheaters’
|
|
|
o
|
Con: stigmatizes and shames recipients, can be applied to socially unpopular groups; can divide society into distinct groups of givers and receivers.
|
|
|
o
|
The way the means test is applied can be denigrating: for example, unscheduled home visits convey the message that the client’s private life is not respected.
|
|
|
Third-party purchase-of-service arrangements in social welfare do not create normal market incentives because of the relationship among buyers, sellers and consumers is different than that found in regular market transactions. Explain this statement.
|
Typically, a producer adjusts their product in response to buyer/consumer feedback. However, third-party purchase-of-service arrangements are unresponsive to consumer signals and consequently fail to regulate cost and quality because the buyer is the government and the consumers are the clients seeking services. This arrangement places producers in an advantageous position because the buyer does not consume the product, and the consumers do not bear the expense. In the market, an unsatisfied buyer simply stops consuming, and an unsatisfied consumer stops buying. In this system, however, consumers have little recourse if services are unsatisfactory. (Transformations 117)
|
|
|
What were the 3 major categories of dependents as defined in the Elizabethan Poor Law of 1601 and what were local authorities supposed to provide each of these categories?
|
"Elizabethan Poor Law defined the following categories of dependents:
|
|
|
1)
|
needy children
|
|
|
How does “proxy shopping” introduce the discipline of market competition into the purchase of service contracts between government contractors and for-profit service providers? (Gilbert/Terrell p.162)
|
"One of the problems that results from for-profit companies providing social
|
|
|
Transformation of the Welfare State describes Snower’s proposal for radical privatization of social welfare through the development of private safety net accounts. Describe two advantages associated with this type of private safety net account. (Gilbert p.124)
|
Among the advantages associated with the type of private safety net account proposed by Dennis Snower are the following: 1) greater liquidity and flexibility, in that they represent personal assets that can be drawn upon and consumed at various points in life and that can accrue interest and be converted to a pension at time of retirement. This is distinct from public benefits, which only “belong” to a person if they need to access them in times of unemployment, etc. 2) making individuals responsible for their own savings provides a disincentive for them to tap into that potential wealth too early or too often.
|
|
|
If they had to choose between providing benefits in the form of vouchers or services, which would individualists most prefer and which would collectivits (universalits) most prefer? How about cash, or in-kind? What are the benefit and deficits of each: cash, in-kind and vouchers?
|
"•
|
|
|
•
|
Individualists would prefer cash or vouchers to in kind benefits. (Dimensions Chap 5)
|
|
|
o
|
Cash allows people to maintain personal independence and exercise freedom of choice in purchases.
|
|
|
o
|
Vouchers offer a balance of consumer choice and social control, e.g. food stamps.
|
|
|
o
|
In kind benefits are produced most efficiently at the lowest cost but eliminate choice and utilize the largest amount of social control.
|
|
|
The 1662 Law of Settlement and the Speenhamland Act of 1795 were designed to address two issues that continue to plague modern day policy makers. Briefly describe these issues.
|
The 1662 LAW OF SETTLEMENT stated that parishes were in charge of caring for their poor. It brought up the issue of migration. People had to stay in their parish and contribute to it. People could only move if they had permission from another parish to move there. If they were not contributing to their new parish, they could be sent back. Nowadays, policy makers are still dealing with the isue of migration. They ask, "Who is responsible for caring for the poor if they move?" The SPEENHAMLAND Act of 1795 was made in order to subsidize families who didn't make enough to provide for their families. Working poor who didn't make enough to meet living standards were given extra loaves of bread to reach that standard. Nowadays, the EITC program works similarly. It gives working poor a subsidy when filing taxes to reach the poverty live. These families can receive up to $4000. Speenhaland and EITC both deal with the "working poor." These programs leave out the unemployed poor and those working poor who don't make enough to count.
|
|
|
What did the research findings suggest about the impact of the Seattle and Denver income maintenance experiments (SIME/DIME) on the incentive to work and family stability?
|
"Dimensions pages: 101, 108-109, 111-113
|
|
|
Reverend Charles Loring Brace, founder of the NYC Children's Aid Society, implemented a controversial solution to the plight of homelessness and delinquent children what was his program and why was it controversial?
|
"•
|
|
|
•
|
His “immigrant parties,” also known as “orphan trains” were controversial because of high rates of child abuse where the kids were sent (farm families were not screened), the families of the children did not want them shipped off to the Midwest, the Midwest did not want all of NYC’s delinquents, and the Catholic Church believed that the program was just a way to convert Catholic children to Protestantism.
|
|
|
In an influential paper given at the 1915 National Conference of Charities and Corrections, Dr. Abraham Flexner responded to the question: Is social work a Profession? Explain his answer.
|
"Flexner said social work is not a profession because:
|
|
|
•
|
Lacked scientifically derived knowledge base that was transferable
|
|
|
•
|
Did not have a unique methodology
|
|
|
•
|
Did not have special technical skills or techniques communicated through an education process
|
|
|
•
|
Social workers are mediators rather than originators of action – almost anyone could do it.
|
|
|
What is one general reason usually given in favor of the means-test and one general reason given that is in opposition to this approach? What are the benefits of means testing?
|
"Means test: income/asset test designed to determine if individual or household meets economic criteria for receiving social welfare benefit, like public housing or food stamps)
|
|
|
o
|
Pro: Means testing circumscribes eligibility according to need, thus assuring available funds are focused on those with greatest need; incentive people to get off of welfare, deals with ‘cheaters’
|
|
|
o
|
Con: stigmatizes and shames recipients, can be applied to socially unpopular groups; can divide society into distinct groups of givers and receivers.
|
|
|
o
|
The way the means test is applied can be denigrating: for example, unscheduled home visits convey the message that the client’s private life is not respected.
|
|
|
Third-party purchase-of-service arrangements in social welfare do not create normal market incentives because of the relationship among buyers, sellers and consumers is different than that found in regular market transactions. Explain this statement.
|
Typically, a producer adjusts their product in response to buyer/consumer feedback. However, third-party purchase-of-service arrangements are unresponsive to consumer signals and consequently fail to regulate cost and quality because the buyer is the government and the consumers are the clients seeking services. This arrangement places producers in an advantageous position because the buyer does not consume the product, and the consumers do not bear the expense. In the market, an unsatisfied buyer simply stops consuming, and an unsatisfied consumer stops buying. In this system, however, consumers have little recourse if services are unsatisfactory. (Transformations 117)
|
|
|
What were the 3 major categories of dependents as defined in the Elizabethan Poor Law of 1601 and what were local authorities supposed to provide each of these categories?
|
"Elizabethan Poor Law defined the following categories of dependents:
|
|
|
1)
|
needy children
|
|
|
2)
|
able-bodied poor
|
|
|
3)
|
the worthy poor.
|
|
|
Numerical equality and proportional equality (i.e. equity) are two concepts that inform efforts to achieve a just distribution of resources in society. If you were designing an old age pension benefit how would the cash value of this benefit be determined according to each of these concepts.
|
Numerical equality means that everyone should get the same treatment and benefits. Proportional equality means that similar people should be treated equally based on their individual merit/virtue. In a pension system, numerical equality would mean that everyone should get the exact same amount of retirement money regardless of who gave more to the pension fund (social security). In a proportional equality pension program, those who contributed more to the pension fund would get more in the end and those that contributed very little would get very little in the end.
|
|
|
Individualists and collectivists tend to have different preferences concerning whether benefits should be given generally in cash or in kind (i.e. services and goods). Explain their positions on this choice.
|
INDIVIDUALISTS are pro cash. (Conservatives, advocates for less government) Cash - offers recipients considerable latitude to exercise their individual preferences. Individualists believe in freedom of choice provision (cash benefits) which requires minimal involvement from the government (prefer the poor should rely on the private, voluntary and religious arrangements) and it feeds the market economy. They believe that problems and poverty are the result of bad personal choices so individuals should be responsible for helping themselves. COLLECTIVISTS are pro in-kind. (Liberals, advocates for more government, as protecition against the market). In K\kind- recipients are limited to whatever specific benefits (housing, medical care, counseling, therapy, information etc) are offered. Collectivists believe in social control provision (in-kind benefits) because it will lead towards equality in education, health, housing, etc. They want government to provide broad program coverage, insuring full opportunity, economic security and basic social goods.
|
|
|
How does “proxy shopping” introduce the discipline of market competition into the purchase of service contracts between government contractors and for-profit service providers? (Gilbert/Terrell p.162)
|
"One of the problems that results from for-profit companies providing social
|
|
|
Test Question
|
Answer 1
|
|
|
How does “proxy shopping” introduce the discipline of market competition into the purchase of service contracts between government contractors and for-profit service providers? (Gilbert/Terrell p.162)
|
"One of the problems that results from for-profit companies providing social
|
|
|
Transformation of the Welfare State describes Snower’s proposal for radical privatization of social welfare through the development of private safety net accounts. Describe two advantages associated with this type of private safety net account. (Gilbert p.124)
|
Among the advantages associated with the type of private safety net account proposed by Dennis Snower are the following: 1) greater liquidity and flexibility, in that they represent personal assets that can be drawn upon and consumed at various points in life and that can accrue interest and be converted to a pension at time of retirement. This is distinct from public benefits, which only “belong” to a person if they need to access them in times of unemployment, etc. 2) making individuals responsible for their own savings provides a disincentive for them to tap into that potential wealth too early or too often.
|
|
|
If they had to choose between providing benefits in the form of vouchers or services, which would individualists most prefer and which would collectivits (universalits) most prefer? How about cash, or in-kind? What are the benefit and deficits of each: cash, in-kind and vouchers?
|
"•
|
|
|
•
|
Individualists would prefer cash or vouchers to in kind benefits. (Dimensions Chap 5)
|
|
|
o
|
Cash allows people to maintain personal independence and exercise freedom of choice in purchases.
|
|
|
o
|
Vouchers offer a balance of consumer choice and social control, e.g. food stamps.
|
|
|
o
|
In kind benefits are produced most efficiently at the lowest cost but eliminate choice and utilize the largest amount of social control.
|
|
|
The 1662 Law of Settlement and the Speenhamland Act of 1795 were designed to address two issues that continue to plague modern day policy makers. Briefly describe these issues.
|
The 1662 LAW OF SETTLEMENT stated that parishes were in charge of caring for their poor. It brought up the issue of migration. People had to stay in their parish and contribute to it. People could only move if they had permission from another parish to move there. If they were not contributing to their new parish, they could be sent back. Nowadays, policy makers are still dealing with the isue of migration. They ask, "Who is responsible for caring for the poor if they move?" The SPEENHAMLAND Act of 1795 was made in order to subsidize families who didn't make enough to provide for their families. Working poor who didn't make enough to meet living standards were given extra loaves of bread to reach that standard. Nowadays, the EITC program works similarly. It gives working poor a subsidy when filing taxes to reach the poverty live. These families can receive up to $4000. Speenhaland and EITC both deal with the "working poor." These programs leave out the unemployed poor and those working poor who don't make enough to count.
|
|
|
What did the research findings suggest about the impact of the Seattle and Denver income maintenance experiments (SIME/DIME) on the incentive to work and family stability?
|
"Dimensions pages: 101, 108-109, 111-113
|
|
|
Reverend Charles Loring Brace, founder of the NYC Children's Aid Society, implemented a controversial solution to the plight of homelessness and delinquent children what was his program and why was it controversial?
|
"•
|
|
|
•
|
His “immigrant parties,” also known as “orphan trains” were controversial because of high rates of child abuse where the kids were sent (farm families were not screened), the families of the children did not want them shipped off to the Midwest, the Midwest did not want all of NYC’s delinquents, and the Catholic Church believed that the program was just a way to convert Catholic children to Protestantism.
|
|
|
In an influential paper given at the 1915 National Conference of Charities and Corrections, Dr. Abraham Flexner responded to the question: Is social work a Profession? Explain his answer.
|
"Flexner said social work is not a profession because:
|
|
|
•
|
Lacked scientifically derived knowledge base that was transferable
|
|
|
•
|
Did not have a unique methodology
|
|
|
•
|
Did not have special technical skills or techniques communicated through an education process
|
|
|
•
|
Social workers are mediators rather than originators of action – almost anyone could do it.
|
|
|
What is one general reason usually given in favor of the means-test and one general reason given that is in opposition to this approach? What are the benefits of means testing?
|
"Means test: income/asset test designed to determine if individual or household meets economic criteria for receiving social welfare benefit, like public housing or food stamps)
|
|
|
o
|
Pro: Means testing circumscribes eligibility according to need, thus assuring available funds are focused on those with greatest need; incentive people to get off of welfare, deals with ‘cheaters’
|
|
|
o
|
Con: stigmatizes and shames recipients, can be applied to socially unpopular groups; can divide society into distinct groups of givers and receivers.
|
|
|
o
|
The way the means test is applied can be denigrating: for example, unscheduled home visits convey the message that the client’s private life is not respected.
|
|
|
Third-party purchase-of-service arrangements in social welfare do not create normal market incentives because of the relationship among buyers, sellers and consumers is different than that found in regular market transactions. Explain this statement.
|
Typically, a producer adjusts their product in response to buyer/consumer feedback. However, third-party purchase-of-service arrangements are unresponsive to consumer signals and consequently fail to regulate cost and quality because the buyer is the government and the consumers are the clients seeking services. This arrangement places producers in an advantageous position because the buyer does not consume the product, and the consumers do not bear the expense. In the market, an unsatisfied buyer simply stops consuming, and an unsatisfied consumer stops buying. In this system, however, consumers have little recourse if services are unsatisfactory. (Transformations 117)
|
|
|
What were the 3 major categories of dependents as defined in the Elizabethan Poor Law of 1601 and what were local authorities supposed to provide each of these categories?
|
"Elizabethan Poor Law defined the following categories of dependents:
|
|
|
1)
|
needy children
|
|
|
2)
|
able-bodied poor
|
|
|
3)
|
the worthy poor.
|
|
|
Numerical equality and proportional equality (i.e. equity) are two concepts that inform efforts to achieve a just distribution of resources in society. If you were designing an old age pension benefit how would the cash value of this benefit be determined according to each of these concepts.
|
Numerical equality means that everyone should get the same treatment and benefits. Proportional equality means that similar people should be treated equally based on their individual merit/virtue. In a pension system, numerical equality would mean that everyone should get the exact same amount of retirement money regardless of who gave more to the pension fund (social security). In a proportional equality pension program, those who contributed more to the pension fund would get more in the end and those that contributed very little would get very little in the end.
|
|
|
Individualists and collectivists tend to have different preferences concerning whether benefits should be given generally in cash or in kind (i.e. services and goods). Explain their positions on this choice.
|
INDIVIDUALISTS are pro cash. (Conservatives, advocates for less government) Cash - offers recipients considerable latitude to exercise their individual preferences. Individualists believe in freedom of choice provision (cash benefits) which requires minimal involvement from the government (prefer the poor should rely on the private, voluntary and religious arrangements) and it feeds the market economy. They believe that problems and poverty are the result of bad personal choices so individuals should be responsible for helping themselves. COLLECTIVISTS are pro in-kind. (Liberals, advocates for more government, as protecition against the market). In K\kind- recipients are limited to whatever specific benefits (housing, medical care, counseling, therapy, information etc) are offered. Collectivists believe in social control provision (in-kind benefits) because it will lead towards equality in education, health, housing, etc. They want government to provide broad program coverage, insuring full opportunity, economic security and basic social goods.
|
|
|
When the charity organizations first began what were their agents who worked with the clients called and what did they do?
|
They were called the friendly visitors. These agents conducted an investigation on "cases" of needy applicants and decided a course of action. They also instructed the poor in ways to better manage their lives. they tried to "correct" they ways of the poor to teach them middle class values. they believed in giving spiritual aid rather than material aid.
|
|
|
What are the differences in the groups covered and the level of government responsibility for SSI (supplemental security income) and GA (general assistance)?
|
SSI covers the disabled, blind, elderly, etc (these are mitigating circumstances), it is means-tested for eligibility, federally funded, there's a universal entitlement, and no time limit. GA covers able-bodied unemployed poor (usually men), is not federally funded (distributed at the state level), there's a time limit and amount is at the discretion of the state, and eligibility is determined by the state.
|
|
|
What is in-door relief? How would it compare to modern forms of public assistance (ie. SSI/AFDC/TANF)? Or Compare indoor and outdoor relief.
|
IN-DOOR RELIEF (institutional: almshouses, orphanages, etc.) - able bodied, "unworthy" poor who sought public aid would be institutionalized in workhouses where their behaveior not only could be controlled but where they presumably would acquire habits of industry and labor and thus more self-sufficient lives. Poor Law Reform of 1834 can be comared to TANF. The Poor Law Reform forced people to work and they sent them to a "work house" and TANF, a work oriented reform imposed time limits on receiving cash benefits and forced people to go to work. SSI, cash grants for the disabled. Poor Law 1601 AFDC, Aid to Families with Dependent Children, income eligible to receive cash grants. OUTDOOR RELIEF: refers to services offered to client in his or her home and was considered "moral relief" by private agencies such as churches. ?? What can outdoor relief be compared to??
|
|
|
Who is favored most by the dependent's benefits under social security, the non-working wife or a high income husband, the non-working wife of a low-income husband, or the working wife in a two earner middle income family?
|
Since dependent benefits are 50% of main worker's benefits, non working wife of rich man is > than non working wife of poor man. dependent benefits is subsidized up to half of main workers salary, so working wife in dual earning family gets less than non working wife of rich guy. Her income is much less than the husbands - she'll get less individual benefits and less dependent benefits.
|
|
|
What was the Aramony Scandal about? How did it impact social philanthropy?
|
William Aramony was president of the United Way for 22 years. UW is a NPO that raises funds to be distributed to community NPOs. He brought the agency from a small organization to a business-like corporation raising billions of dollars. He was well respected until journalists began to report that he ws earning 350,000 and taking advantage of perks such as trips, limos, and he was employing his son at an independent corp stating with UW funds. Contributors and philanthropists withheld their money and demanded that Aramony be fired. He was found guilty of conspiracy, fraud and false tax returns and sentenced to 7 years and a $500,000 fine. the impact on soical philanthropy: contributors doubted UW and were reluctant to donate - financially affected UW and smaller NPOs it served. Trust compromised, etc.
|
|
|
What are the 6 conditions that justify government intervention in capitalist society?
|
1) NIGHT WATCHMEN: protection from external enemies, government serves as an umpire or regulator and imposes rules so that the market operates fairly. 2)TECHNICAL MONOPOLY: to control goods that are monopolized (water, sewer) 3)NEIGHBORHOOD EFFECTS: When the benefits of services can't be limited and there is no way of controlling consumer consumption example is fire and police department - these benefit everyone. People don't pay for service but it benefits all. 4) PATERNALISM: Government should intervene to help those who can't help themselves. 5) REDISTRIBUTION: allocation of goods and services based on market, can't have extreme inequalities in power and influence, therefore must refine and moderate the inequalities via redistributive methods. Take some $ from top and redistribute it to the bottom 1/2 so that all people will have sufficient $ to live on. STABILIZATION: government should be able to intervene and stabilize economy in periods of economic distress. Can be done through wage and price control.
|
|
|
What levels of government administer General Assistance Programs? Who do these programs serve?
|
GA is administered by state, county or local government, or combo of these. No federal funds are used so some states don't have GA. GA serves non-elderly or childless individuals in need of financial assistance or who don't qualify for federally funded programs. This includes people waiting to get an SSI (disability) or whose AFDC/TANF benefits are too low to cover an emergency.
|
|
|
The concern about the privatization of social services is that it will promote a process of preferential selection. Explain.
|
"a)The process of preferential selection refers to service providers choosing the cheapest and/or easiest clients to serve. Choice of clients is made according to eligibility criteria that private agencies devise, not according to client needs. This practice is often termed “creaming” of clients, meaning selection of clients that are most likely to be successful users of a service.
|
|
|
Who established Hull House and what kind of work did this organization do?
|
Jane Addams founded Hull House in Chicago. Part of the Settlement House movement. this organization focused on residence, research, and reform. Addams and others lived among the poor to understand the social and economic environment, which caused poverty. They were interested in reforming through removal of social and economic barriers and providing assistance to disadvantaged population. Unlike the COS, the Settlement house movement did not judge the poor as worthy or unworthy of assistance.
|
|
|
Doctrine of "less eligibility"
|
Says that the status of people who are dependent on public assistance should not be any better off than the lowest paid independent laborer. It says that regardless of the need or cause, the poor recipient would be so miserable that they would find an incentive to get to work. First expressed in poor law reform 1834, where they sought to end public assistance for able-bodied persons and nationally coordinate poor law services.
|
|
|
6 sectors of helping
|
1) Family 2) Church 3) Work 4) Community Self-Help 5) government 6)Private sector business
|
|
|
Explain theories of Galbraith, Friedman and Buchannan
|
for
|
|
|
Would the “public choice” school of thought (Buchanan) tend to argue that government spending on social welfare is too large or too small?
|
"Readings: Am SW Policy, Chp 1, p. 9-10; September 4 lecture
|
|
|
-
|
Too large – increasing taxes is a waste, because the system is inherently distorted – instead, we need to make better choices about how money is spent
|
|
|
-
|
In exchange for approval, the government is constantly giving in to requests made by various lobbies/interest groups.
|
|
|
-
|
Without care for the increasing debt they are accruing, politicians give into spending more and more on various public interests to ensure that the lobbies/interest groups will later re-elect them
|
|
|
-
|
There is an inherent bias toward overspending, because the allocation system is not disciplined by such market forces as competition
|
|
|
-
|
Lobbies/interest groups rarely compete with each other – sometimes they even band together – because there is no market counter force – it is all driven by politicians’ desire to keep their opinion polls ups and get re-elected
|
|
|
-
|
Buchanan argues that the politicians – driven by their political circumstances (vs. economic realties of the country/state/county) – tend to say yes to the lobbies/interest groups that approach them
|
|
|
-
|
Lobbies/interest groups are never satisfied and keep demaning more
|
|
|
-
|
Cycle continues to eventually bankrupt the government – services increase, revenues decrease, budget deficit increases – Buchanan argues that there are no checks and balances – the process inherently spends too much – no checks and balances
|
|
|
-
|
“…strong incentives exist for interest groups to make demands on government. The resulting concessions…flow directly to the interest group while their costs are spread among all taxpayers. Initial concessions lead to demands for further concessions…interest groups resist paying taxes directed specifically toward them and…no interest group has much incentives to support general taxes…strong demands…accompanied by declining revenues lead to government borrowing, which in turn results in large deficits” (Am SW Policy, p. 9)
|
|
|
-
|
In sum, interest group demands lead to budget deficits – hence, government should limit concessions to these groups as much as possible
|
|
|
3 Pillars of welfare state
|
1) economic security 2) safety net 3) basic needs
|
|
|
What are two primary forms of federal housing assistance to the poor? How do the direct federal expenditures on these programs compare to housing related tax expenditures?
|
PUBLIC HOUSING: Serves people whose incomes are too low to afford housing in the private market. SECTION 8: system which allows low income tenants to occupy existing and privately owned housing. Subsidy covers the difference between the fixed percentage of the tenant's income (30%) and fair market rent of a housing unit. DIRECT RELATED TAX EXPENDITURES: for these two programs is $19 billion a year. HOUSING RELATED TAX EXPENDITURES: Government spends 66 billion a year in subsidies to homeowners through mortgage interest and property tax deductions. Only 1/4 of this spending is directed toward low-income housing. Therefore it's primarily benefits households in the top level of income distribution. In comparing the two a much greater proportion of federal expenditures are used for mortgage deductions paid by government subsidies, far outstripping assistance to the poor.
|
|
|
What is the difference between progressive/regressive taxes? Characterize payroll tax used to finance social security.
|
PROGRESSIVE: levied in accordance to ability to pay. Rich pay more taxes, ie income tax. REGRESSIVE: taxes levied in same amount for everyone regardless of income, ie sales tax. PAYROLL TAX falls between the two. Progressive because those earning and contributing less are receiving proportionally bigger % than those giving more and some receive benefits w/out contributing at all (allocation progressive) Since benefit allocation is disproportionately helping low wage earners, this is hidden universalism. Regressive because everyone who earns up to a certain amount pays the same % for SS tax, after that they stop paying SS--collection regressive. Also, regressive be/ generations because young workers' deductions are going to non-working elders.
|
|
|
Compare the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and the housing mortgage interest deduction in terms of socioeconomic groups that gained the most from the benefit.
|
"
|
|
|
The nature of social provisions went from intangible and limited to concrete and diversified. Explain.
|
INTANGIBLE AND LIMITED: Casework services that presumably would rehabilitate the poor, changing their behavior in ways that would help them become economically independent (advice and counseling) and the service was limited by eligibility restrictions. CONCRETE AND DIVERSIFIED: Concrete programs like day care centers, or drug treatment centers, work training programs and were more widely available. The movement of diversification stated that each state was free to support whatever social services it deemed appropriate for it's communities. Only requirement was that these services be directed to one of five federally specified goals which were very broad.
|
|
|
Describe the seven techniques that advocacy researchers use to exaggerate the the scope and intensity of problems.
|
1) Broad definition of a problem 2) Criticism of other methods 3) Victim sample groups 4) Horror and atrocity stories 5) Publish scientific method 6) changing definition if criticized. 7) regress to ad-homonym
|
|
|
Describe 4 basic principles for allocation of social welfare benefits.
|
ATTRIBUTED NEED: Eligibility conditional upon membership in a group that has a common normative need. Based on 2 conditions-- group oriented allocations & and normative criteria of need. COMPENSATION: Eligibility conditional on membership in groups that have made special contributions to society or have suffered harm from society (ie VA benefits). Based on group oriented allocations & normative criteria of equity. DIAGNOSTIC DIFFERENTIATION: Eligibility conditional on professional judgments of individual cases where special goods/services may be needed (physical/mental). Based on individual allocations & technical diagnostic criteria of need. MEANS-TESTED NEED: Eligibility conditional on evidence of individual’s inability to purchase goods a/o services. Based on individual allocations & economic criteria of need.
|
|
|
What is the doctrine of "less eligibility" and where was it first expressed?
|
"a) Less Eligibility: Statement that the condition of all welfare recipients, regardless of need or cause, should be worse than that of the lowest paid self-supporting laborer.
|
|
|
Explain Social Darwinism and its implications for the development of social welfare policies offering public aid to the poor.
|
Social Darwinism: a union of laissez-faire economics and doctrine that within the struggle for existence, the fittest survive, essentially helping to justify the interpretation that the poor were responsible for their own state, due to a lack of industry and morality (circa late 19th century) These ideas placed the responsibility of poverty squarely on the shoulders of the poor. Poor were weak and burdensome and did not contribute to society. It created the popular concept that giving aid to the poor went against the natural competition for resources and allowed the poor to breed and reproduce instead of dying out.
|
|
|
What is social welfare policy according to the analytic framework in the Dimensions book?
|
"•
|
|
|
(1)
|
What are the bases of social allocations? (Who gets it? )
|
|
|
(2)
|
What are the types of social provisions to be allocated? (What do they get, cash or in -kind?)
|
|
|
(3)
|
What are the strategies for delivery of these provisions? (How is it delivered?)
|
|
|
(4)
|
What are the ways to finance these provisions? (How is it paid for?)
|
|
|
(5)
|
What are the social values that support these social allocations?
|
|
|
(6)
|
What are the theories and assumptions that underlie these programs?
|
|
|
What is the contemporary Marxist view of the welfare state and the capitalist society?
|
the Marxist belief was that equality should trump everything else. We are all the same, therefore, we should all get the same. This is a very idealized and human view of the world. Marxists view the welfare state as a capitalist form of self-protection. It subdues the revolutionary tendencies, moderates class conflict and protects the interests of the elite. It subsidizes a barely sustainable form of work that exploits the worker and undermines his capacity for creative work. It controls the conditons under which work is organized. The function of poverty according to Marx is that it provides capitalists with an "army" of surplus laborers who can be used to depress the wage structure of society. Social welfare is a "hand-maiden" to capitalism.
|
|
|
The recognition of tax expenditures changes the prevailing conceptions of who gains from social welfare transfers. What are tax expenditures and how do they change our views on who benefits from social security?
|
"Readings: Dimensions, Chp 2, p. 55-57
|
|
|
-
|
income tax deductions for interest payments on home mortgages parallel federally financed public housing and housing allowances for the poor in that both measures affect how much you are paying for where you live
|
|
|
-
|
deductions and credits for charitable contributions, occupation-based health and pensions plans, and child care parallel direct subsidies in that both put cash in your pocket that you would otherwise not have (i.e., if the deductions and credits did not exist)
|
|
|
List one similarity and one difference between TANF and General Assistance (GA).
|
Similarities: serves similar clients, eligibility is determined by means-testing, services are provided as either cash or in-kind, neither is administered at the federal level. Differences: GA is regulated by state and local government, benefits individuals, administered by state, county or locality, not all states have GA. TANF is federally funded and regulated, benefits families, administered by the state, required by feds for all states to have.
|
|
|
What was the role of social caseworkers under the 1962 Service Amendments? How has this changed since TANF?
|
Since 1962, there has been a broadening in social services provided by caseworkers. In 1962, there was an emphasis on counseling to rehabilitate clients and decrease dependency (therapeutic agents). With TANF, we moved away from clinicians to watchdogs to ensure beneficiaries meet program requirements (ex. Focus more on whether or not they are looking for work than on counseling needs that might prevent them from getting to work), impose sanctions if they for not comply with regulations (social control agents)
|
|
|
What was the role of social caseworkers under the 1962 Service Amendments? How has this changed since TANF?
|
"o
|
|
|
o
|
A defined benefit plan is a retirement plan set up to pay a fixed annual amount to eligible employees during their retirement years. It's called defined benefit because the quarterly or annual contribution is based upon an actuarial determination of what the participants' retirement benefits should be, not on profits. This is the traditional benefit scheme.
|
|
|
o
|
I would argue that the defined benefit is more progressive in that it allows for a guaranteed amount to be paid out upon retirement; defined contributes are locked into the market and come retirement you may have less money that what you actually contributed. Even though more “progressive” states have moved towards defined contribution plans.
|
|
|
"1.
|
How is the official poverty line measured according to the formula developed in the mid-1960’s by the Social Security Administration? How does this calculation of the poverty line treat the cash value of in-kind benefits and earned income tax credits and the costs of income taxes and work-related expenses? Pg 83 dimensions"
|
|
|
o
|
Why three? Orshansky used a factor of three because the Agriculture Department’s 1955 Household Food Consumption Survey found that for families of three or more persons, the average dollar value of all food used during a week (both at home and away from home) accounted for about one third of their total money income after taxes.
|
|
|
•
|
Income used to compute poverty status- Money Incomes
|
|
|
o
|
Includes earnings, unemployment compensation, workers’ compensation, Social Security, Supplemental Security Income, public assistance, veterans’ payments, survivor benefits, pension or retirement income, interest, dividends, rents, royalties, income from estates, trusts, educational assistance, alimony, child support, assistance from outside the household, and other miscellaneous sources.
|
|
|
o
|
Noncash benefits (such as food stamps and housing subsidies) do not count.
|
|
|
o
|
Before taxes.
|
|
|
o
|
Excludes capital gains or losses.
|
|
|
o
|
If a person lives with a family, add up the income of all family members (Non-relatives, such as housemates, do not count.)
|
|
|
"2.
|
In the early years of social work, Hull House (settlement houses) and the Charity Organization Societies represented two alternative approaches to dealing with the problem of poverty. Briefly identify the approaches associated with these organizations. What are the differences between the approaches? "
|
|
|
o
|
The COS’s Mary Richmond’s approach was one of casework that focused on “the individual, …the understanding of his needs, …and his adjustment to his environment.” Using the professional tools established in Richmond’s book Social Diagnosis, the COS’s friendly visitors sought to reform individuals so that they could become contributing members of society. They made decisions on the basis of judgmental attitudes and middle-class values, emphasizing the individual and moral causes of destitution, drawing distinctions between the worthy and the unworthy poor.
|
|
|
o
|
Poverty is the result of individual deficiency. Victim blamed position. The “friendly visitor” went from door to door attempting to help individuals fix their problems and leave poverty by following their example of good moral behavior. They focused their work on investigation of individuals living in poverty and sought to provide them with moral and spiritual guidance to help them out of poverty.
|
|
|
•
|
Settlement Houses / Hull House
|
|
|
o
|
The residents of the Settlement House, Jane Adams, sought to promote social and economic reform so that those who had dreams about getting ahead would have the opportunity to do so. Settlement house workers looked upon all the indigent alike, with no worthy/unworthy dichotomy, stressing that is was social economic conditions that made and kept people poor. The philosophy of the settlement house movement led to social and economic change (including policy change)
|
|
|
o
|
Poverty as a problem of social conditions and injustice, not individual moral ineptitude. They focused their work on Residence, Reform, and Research within poor communities.
|
|
|
"3.
|
Government intervention in the free market of a capitalist society is often justified under conditions in which the allocation of goods or services has “Neighborhood effects” (or involves externalities). Explain and give an example of this condition."
|
|
|
•
|
The basic idea: If you can’t put a price on a service, you cannot control consumption. The market doesn’t work because in these products, it is difficult to charge for them and keep out free riders. It also does not cost more for additional people to use them. To make everyone pay their share, taxes are levied by the government.
|
|
|
•
|
Examples:
|
|
|
o
|
Public highways, the street in front of your house. (Except…toll roads!)
|
|
|
o
|
Public park – it benefits everyone, but who would pay for it?
|
|
|
o
|
Public health
|
|
|
•
|
Public goods benefit all of the public
|
|
|
•
|
Source: Lecture notes, Sept. 18
|
|
|
•
|
Additional resource, example: “The Neighborhood Effect on School Choice” at http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3647/is_199901/ai_n8846164/print.
|
|
|
"4.
|
How does Galbraith’s argument about the “dependence effect” and Buchanan’s theory of “public choice” answer the question of whether in general public spending is too high or too low? Explain why."
|
|
|
o
|
Product plus market creates wants; anything beyond survival is trivial
|
|
|
o
|
Dependence effect creates more need for public services
|
|
|
o
|
Bottom line: General public spending is too low
|
|
|
•
|
Public Choice: According to Buchanan, public sector bureaucrats are self-interested utility maximizers and that strong incentives exist for interest groups to make demands on government. Strong demands for government benefits accompanied by declining revenues lead to government borrowing, which in turn results in large budget deficits.
|
|
|
o
|
Society is full of interest groups who demand benefits for themselves, legislatures primarily influenced by these groups and want to say yes to spending to gain approval and votes for reelection, demands of interest groups on government spending is unending and will eventually bankrupt the government, no incentive for politicians to say no, services increase, revenues decrease, budget deficit increases
|
|
|
o
|
Bottom line: General public spending is too high
|
|
|
o
|
Source: American Social Welfare Policy, p. 9
|
|
|
"6.
|
Explain how diagnostic differentiation, compensation, and means-testing each provide a different basis for determining eligibility for social welfare."
|
|
|
o
|
Affirmative Action, Veterans Benefits, Native American compensation. (Think 40 acres and a mule).
|
|
|
•
|
Diagnostic differentiation: benefits allocated to people in need of special goods or services based on professional judgments and “diagnosis.”
|
|
|
o
|
Mental Health benefits, disability benefits, etc.
|
|
|
•
|
Means-tested need: benefits allocated based on evidence regarding an individual’s inability to purchase goods and services
|
|
|
o
|
Low income housing, food stamps etc.
|
|
|
"7.
|
What is the difference between the organismic and the individualistic views of the public interest?"
|
|
|
•
|
Individualistic View: There is no single public interest. In fact, there are many different publics with different interests. Public interest is a momentary compromise and is always shifting. A social worker’s main role is as an advocate for the needs of their group or client rather than an agent of the whole system. (Dimensions Chapter 1: Pg. 23-25)
|
|
|
"9.
|
Compare General Assistance and SSI in terms of who they serve and the sources of their funding."
|
|
|
"
|
"• The 1662 Law of Settlement- spoke to the issue of migration and social
|
|
|
"11.
|
The U.S. can be said to be moving towards the privatization of social security through the backdoor. How is this happening?"
|
|
|
•
|
The U.S. has seen a more circuitous and less apparent shift toward privatization than other countries (e.g. Chile, Netherlands, Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Germany, and the U.K.); especially apparent in the late 1970s.
|
|
|
•
|
Reforms erode public social security pension benefits being joined by policies that support the expansion of voluntary, private alternatives.
|
|
|
•
|
Result in steady decline in percentage of retirement income derived from public social security schemes relative to the percentage of retirement income derived from employee provided pensions and individual retirement plans.
|
|
|
•
|
Examples from 1977 and 1983 amendments:
|
|
|
o
|
Increase in retirement age from 65 to 67
|
|
|
o
|
Increase employer-employee tax rate and increased the taxable-earning base
|
|
|
o
|
Imposed an income tax on SS benefits for retirees with a modest level of income form other sources
|
|
|
•
|
Trend: “In many, if not most of the OECD countries, private financing of retirement is slowly on the rise, be it directly through the front door of compulsory schemes coordinated with public pensions or creeps through the back door of voluntary, private arrangements that offset the erosion of public benefits.”
|
|
|
•
|
Source: Transformations, pp. 107-110.
|
|
|
12) What’s the difference between Social Darwinism and Social Diagnosis?
|
"Social Darwinism
|
|
|
13) The main differences between fee-for-service, categorical grants, and general revenue sharing:
|
"General Revenue Sharing (Dimensions pg 250)
|
|
|
16) What does the “Laffer Curve” suggest about the relationship between tax rates and government tax revenues?
|
"Arthur Laffer: believe that optimal economic policy would consist of minimal taxation so as not to impede capital formation and expansion (American Social Welfare… page 234)
|
|
|
"17.
|
What was indoor relief? How would it compare to modern forms of public assistance (AFDC, SSI, TANF)?"
|
|
|
o
|
As of Poor Law Reform Bill (1834), it was presumed poverty was a sign of laziness, intemperance, unworthiness, or personal defect
|
|
|
o
|
The PLRB also stated that no-one receiving public assistance should be better off than someone earning minimum wage i.e. less eligibility
|
|
|
o
|
Recipients were removed from society (and presumably their own vices) where behavior could be controlled
|
|
|
o
|
Shifted responsibility for the poor from municipalities to counties – each county was required to have a poorhouse
|
|
|
o
|
Expected to work in miserable conditions – to “reform their work ethic” and motivate them to work out in the world
|
|
|
o
|
Echoes of those expectations in TANF timelines, welfare to work, Care not Cash
|
|
|
•
|
Modern forms provided in form of cash grants (outdoor)
|
|
|
o
|
Recipients are not instiutionalized
|
|
|
o
|
Means tested aid given on the basis of demonstrated need (as calculated relative to poverty line), not on condition
|
|
|
o
|
Both AFDC and TANF also have work requirements
|
|
|
o
|
AFDC had mandated inclusion: all families that qualified received aid
|
|
|
o
|
TANF has mandated exclusions based on “moral” principles, caps
|
|
|
o
|
Reflect view similar to that of indoor relief – the poor are essentially lazy and must be forced to work for benefits.
|
|
|
"18.
|
Explain 3 shifts from pre to post industrialization: Civil, political and social rights. Does this need to be restructured int Civil, Political and Social rights?"
|
|
|
b.
|
F. Tonnies: Social cohesion is dependent on a shift from gemienschaft (small rural community life where relationships were based on hierarchical status) to gesellschaft (contractual relationships). In the past, people related to one another based on the hierarchies of society. When shift to industrial society occurred, people interacted based on contracts (example: person being served by a waiter in a restaurant). In industrial society life is more private and so relationships are different than they once were.
|
|
|
c.
|
TH Marshall: His work sparked Gilbert’s question: What makes you an American? He believed that civic, political, and social rights create a sense of cohesion and social solidarity. Gilbert focuses on social rights as the most important of these 3 rights. The sense that we have a set of rights is a distinguishing factor in establishing sense of Americanism.
|
|
|
"20.
|
From the 1962 Service Amendments to the Social Security Act to the Title XX amendments in 1974 significant changes occurred in many aspects of the social services. Briefly describe the changes in the basis of social allocations and the nature of social provisions during this period."
|
|
|
a.
|
1962 (Service Amendments to the Social Security Act): eligibility is means-tested and restricted to current and former public assistance recipients..
|
|
|
b.
|
Originally 4 categories of Aid:
|
|
|
i.
|
AFDC
|
|
|
ii.
|
Aid to Blind
|
|
|
iii.
|
Old Age Assistance
|
|
|
iv.
|
Aid to Perm./Totally Disabled
|
|
|
c.
|
1967: Revision to SASSA: eligibility shifted to include people if they were to become eligible in the next 5 yrs
|
|
|
i.
|
introduced notion of group eligibility : being member of group made you eligible.
|
|
|
d.
|
1974: eligibility expanded to include more people
|
|
|
i.
|
now included income maintenance recipients, income eligibilities, universal eligibility for some services (CPS)
|
|
|
a.
|
Limited ‘soft’ services like casework (provided for by SASSA) were deemphasized -“talking services” to “talk people out of poverty.” -NG
|
|
|
b.
|
broader array of ‘hard’ services like employment training, day care and drug treatment were emphasized.
|
|
|
c.
|
States are free to support whatever social services they deem appropriate for their communities as long as they fit into one of five broadly defined federal goals. Social security block grants now allow for a wide array of services and focus more on maintenance and care than reducing poverty.
|
|
|
"21.
|
10.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
"
|
"•
|
|
|
•
|
Occupational welfare = system of welfare associated w/employment, chiefly fringe benefits. Restricted in scope and inversely related to need (people who receive benefits are able to work, generally without preexisting conditions that prevent people from receiving benefits); occupational welfare is form of “collective intervention,” because its scope and character reflect public policy. Govt has special tax arrangements, notably deductibility of employee benefit costs to induce employers to provide fringe benefits.
|
|
|
•
|
Fiscal welfare = identifies features of tax-raising system, such as special tax deductions or credits, that advance social objectives. These usually go to individuals who participate in income tax deductions for interest payments on home mortgages or deductions and credits for charitable donations
|
|
|
•
|
Occupational and fiscal welfare can be seen as welfare principally for middle class and well-to-do, undermining support for mainline welfare state
|
|
|
What problems did the late 19th and early 20th century studies of families such as the Kallikaks and the Jukes illuminate and what was the main solution offered at the time?
|
"Trattner p 199-200.
|
|
|
|
The Jukes and the Kallikaks were families of “feebleminded” individuals studied in 1877 and 1912 respectively. “Feeblemindedness” is the condition later referred to as retardation, and now called developmentally disability. The studies were used to support a thesis that the feebleminded bred at alarming rates and were more prone to disease, indigency, crime, intemperance and vice. It was also asserted that all of those “traits” followed family lines and thus were inherited or genetic. This was contrasted with “insanity” which was asserted to be a result of external factors. Imported from England along with Social Darwinism was the notion of eugenics, or improving society through breeding. The “defective” were to be sterilized or segregated from one another so as to prevent them from reproducing. 17 states, beginning with Indiana in 1907, passed laws that provided for the sterilization of the feebleminded. Though it seems repulsive by contemporary standards, Trattner asserts that this movement was reflective of the ideal of prevention of social ills (as opposed to triage and treatment.) Social Workers thought sterilization was going too far, but still advocated segregation and the prevention of reproduction in the name of “kindly elimination.”
|
|
|
"49.
|
What is the difference between “elite philanthropy and “bourgeois philanthropy” identified by Karger and Stoesz."
|
|
|
50) Third-party puchase –of-service arrangements in social welfare do not create normal market incentives because of the relationship among buyers, sellers, and consumers is different than that found in regular market transactions. Explain this statement.
|
"
|
|
|
"8.
|
Expenditures for social welfare increased dramatically between 1960 and 1980. According to DiNitto and Dye, what are 5 factors contributing to this trend? (only found short mention of DiNitto in Dimensions, p.52, suspect that this question may not be used)"
|
|
|
1.
|
Identify policy problems
|
|
|
2.
|
Formulate policy proposals
|
|
|
3.
|
Legitimize public policy
|
|
|
4.
|
Implement public policy
|
|
|
5.
|
Evaluate public policy
|
|
|
"11.
|
Technical Monopoly and paternalism are two conditions used to justify government intervention in a capitalistic society. Explain these conditions."
|
|
|
"12.
|
How did federal funding of public assistance change when the TANF program replaced AFDC program? How does this policy reform effect the guaranteed entitlement to public assistance?"
|
|
|
•
|
There were no longer universal eligibility requirements because each State determined who was eligible or not;
|
|
|
•
|
The strings that the Fed did attach were to encourage people to work and discourage teenage pregnancy (teen mothers not living with parents or going to school were not eligible) and
|
|
|
•
|
Federal limits of time (5 years) for the benefit were established as well as caps on the number of family members eligible.
|
|
|
"13.
|
What are the 6 conditions that justify government intervention in capitalist society?"
|
|
|
•
|
Night Watchman - Government acts as a regulator and protects the public from unchecked free market by making sure everybody plays by the rules.
|
|
|
•
|
Neighborhood Effects (externalities) These are services that cannot be limited in terms of use because it is very difficult to control or keep track of public consumption. Idea is that in order to make sure everyone pays their share we need regular taxes (no free riders). Examples include parks, police and fire.
|
|
|
•
|
Tech Monopoly – A needed service that cannot have competition (services in hard to reach areas) if we let the free market run a technical monopoly, there would be no incentive to provide good services at a good price b/c of no opportunity for competition. Postal service and the delivery of mail (See 37 above)
|
|
|
•
|
Paternalism – Programs for people who cannot take care of themselves and which market has no incentive to serve. (see 37 above).
|
|
|
•
|
Redistributive Function – Programs that redistribute income (SSI, TANF, Pensions). The idea is to limit the gap between the wealthy and the poor and reduce extreme inequalities so as to prevent strife.
|
|
|
•
|
Stabilization Functions - Ensures stable economy, tariffs, interest rate adjustments, import taxes. Allows the government to stabilize the economy in times of economic distress.
|
|
|
"14.
|
What are 2 primary forms of federal housing to the poor? How do the direct federal expenditures on these programs compare to housing related tax expenditures/breaks?"
|
|
|
T.H. Marshall’s theory interpreted the emergence of social welfare in terms of the historical evolution of the meaning of citizenship. Explain. Dimensions, CH 3, p. 38-39
|
"Class Notes: Day 1
|
|
|
"
|
The “principle of less eligibility” comes from the Law Reform Bill of 1834 and basically says that people receiving public assistance should not get more than the poorest person who is working and was based on the idea that people will have an incentive to work if their conditions are so horrible that they have no choice. The AFDC addressed this somewhat by requiring mothers with children over three to participate in the JOBS program and actively seek work. Benefits had no time limit, but States could reduce or take away benefits for mothers determined not to be participating in jobs skills training. In the 90’s, when AFDC transitioned to TANF there were dramatic changes in regards to “less eligibility” eligibility including time limits (5 years) for benefits and requiring participants to be engaged in some type of work activity after 2 years in the program in order to continue to receive benefits. Regarding the 5 year limit there was some concern for “fair treatment” for those that were going through extreme hardship so States had discretion to exempt up to 20% of TANF recipients, but this created a great deal of lobbying for specific groups such as AIDS/HIV patients.
|
|
|
What is the Aramony Scandal about? How did it impact social philanthropy?
|
"Readings: Poor Law, Chp 16, p. 384; Am SW Policy, Chp 6, p. 154-159
|
|
|
-
|
As many as 100 of the organization’s 1100 affiliates immediately stopped paying dues to the national body. Several left the organization altogether, despite Aramony’s resignation.
|
|
|
-
|
Drew attention to improprieties within philanthropic community and fostered distrust of philanthropic organizations. Lester Salamon, director of the Johns Hopkins Institute for Policy Studies, met with other leaders of major foundations in New York in 1995 to discuss strategies to renew faith in nonprofit organizations. According to Salamon, major philanthropies were vulnerable to “cheap shots and exposes” when management scams hit the headlines.
|
|
|
-
|
Donations to the United Way fell, especially in large metropolitan United Ways
|
|
|
-
|
Nonprofits reliant on United Way funds were affected, with some nonprofits failing to receive funds because of public mistrust of United way
|
|
|
-
|
In sum, contributors doubted United Way and were reluctant to donate – financially affected United Way and the smaller NPOs it served
|
|
|
What did Durkheim mean when arguing that "mechanical solidarity" was the basis for social cohesion in pre-industrial society?
|
"Readings: Transformation of the Welfare State, p. 159; August 28 lecture
|
|
|
-
|
Mechanical solidarity refers to a sense of belonging that “stems from commonality with others” (Transformation, p. 159)
|
|
|
-
|
Nurtured in socially and morally homogeneous environments, reinforced by strong ties to kinship, localism, and religion
|
|
|
-
|
This homogeneity defined the pre-industrial rural community, which was community based and fostered conformity, collective consciousness
|
|
|
-
|
Social cohesion emerged from people looking the same, doing the same things, etc.
|
|
|
"43.
|
What is the difference between progressive and regressive taxes? How would you characterize the payroll tax used to finance social security?"
|
|
|
"44.
|
What are 2 broad allocation principles for determining conditions of eligibility for social provisions?"
|
|
|
The functional equality in domestic partnership models of family relations is associated with different approaches to social security reform. Describe
|
The functional equality model suggests that men and women should both work and that women should be just as capable as men to pay into social security. Therefore, they should have separate accounts that they pay into and their benefits (pensions and social security) should be received as individual and independent of each other.
|
|
|
Compare and contrast numerical and proportional equality. Which one best represents the capitalist ethos? [NEW]
|
"Equality is one of the 3 core values of distributive justice (equality, equity, adequacy). Aristotle differentiated between two types of equality - numerical and proportional. Numerical equality implies the same treatment of everyone - to all an equal share (egalitarian element of distributive justice). Proportional equality implies the same treatment of similar persons - to each according to his merit or virtue (meritarian element of distributive justice). For ease in language, Gilbert refers to proportional equality as equity.
|
|
|
"As described by Mishra, what is the key determinant of social welfare in modern societies according to the convergence theory? What does this imply about the role of different ideologies in the development of social welfare?
|
Transformation P. 17,20"
|
|
|
Efforts to design welfare policies that further distribute justice must come to grips with 3 values. Briefly describe these 3 values:
|
"•
|
|
|
•
|
Aristotle’s proportional equality (to each a share proportional to his/her merit or virtue) The same treatment of similar persons.
|
|
|
•
|
Sense of fair treatment: aid should be proportional or based on a person’s contributions but with consideration for those that can’t contribute through no fault of their own (eg. unemployment benefits, which vary in proportion to prior income)
|
|
|
•
|
Stressed through concept of “less eligibility” (that one should not get more aid then the wage of the poorest worker).
|
|
|
•
|
Compared with a means-tested social welfare approach
|
|
|
•
|
Mom receiving public assistance to stay home with kids is not equitable if another mom is working to support her family and is not able to stay at home. Goes against “less eligibility”. The transition to TANF reflects this value.
|
|
|
•
|
Level of adequacy concerned with the standard of living.
|
|
|
•
|
Most common statistic for defining adequacy is the poverty line.
|
|
|
•
|
Benefits are desired to provide a decent standard of physical and spiritual well being-separate from ideas of equality or equity
|
|
|
•
|
Standard vary from time to time and according to circumstances
|
|
|
•
|
Capitalism favors equity: the idea that people receive what they deserve-you reap what you sow.
|
|
|
•
|
Public assistance more responsive to concerns for equity than for adequacy or equality."
|
|
|
Describe 3 major differences between traditional non-profit social service agencies and agencies that operate for profit.
|
"Organizational Ethos: The moral spirit and beliefs of non-profit differs from for-profit agencies. Non-profits work to insure quality of service to consumers (giving to consumers is main priority) vs. for-profit agencies are concerned with finances and making a profit as their main priority, which may come before the client.
|
|
|
•
|
Standardization of service: Services that involve uniform procedures and standard products (public Health vaccinations) for-profit
|
|
|
•
|
Client Competence: if clients are not competent they are vulnerable and easy to exploit. Because of this you need public accountability non-profit
|
|
|
•
|
Coerciveness of service: When clients freedoms are at stake (CPS) you need public accountabilitynon-profit
|
|
|
•
|
Potency of the regulatory environment: Services that are under sufficient public regulation to insure the maintenance of standards and client protection non-profit and for-profit
|
|
|
Describe the parallels between the Speenhamland Act of 1795 and the modern EITC. What is an example of modern legislation that helps to eliminate the worst consequences of Speen.? [NEW]
|
"a)Speenhamland Act and Earned Income Tax Credit both aimed to benefit working poor and to supplement incomes.
|
|
|
What are 3 assumptions embedded in the curricula of sexual abuse prevention?
|
There are a variety of assumptions embedded within the curricula of sexual abuse prevention. First, the curricula assumes that pre-school age children are cognitively able to learn and remember abstract concepts and then put those concepts into action in the event of a potentially dangerous situation. Second, the curricula assume that the audience is culturally homogeneous and that society holds a normative view of what physical relationships ought to be. Third, the motivations for creating this curricula assume that it is better to do something – even if the wrong thing – than to do nothing and also that no harm will be done. This logic takes the position that “if one child is saved, then it is worthwhile,” but that fails to consider alternative programs and alternative spending. Finally, the curricula assume that it is the children, and not teachers or parents or the community, who ought to be responsible for their safety.
|
|
|
Transformation of the Welfare State describes Snower’s proposal for radical privatization of social welfare through the development of private safety net accounts. Describe two advantages associated with this type of private safety net account. (Gilbert p.124)
|
Among the advantages associated with the type of private safety net account proposed by Dennis Snower are the following: 1) greater liquidity and flexibility, in that they represent personal assets that can be drawn upon and consumed at various points in life and that can accrue interest and be converted to a pension at time of retirement. This is distinct from public benefits, which only “belong” to a person if they need to access them in times of unemployment, etc. 2) making individuals responsible for their own savings provides a disincentive for them to tap into that potential wealth too early or too often.
|
