Chapter One: Poverty and the Modern Welfare State

Question 1

What does the author claim is the weakness of a basic necessities poverty measurement? What does she claim is the problem with using access to resources as a benchmark?

Answer 1

because raised q- what are basic necessities of life in a modern developed nation like canada? (finds no poverty in canada )
lack of access to resources- what are the resources and amenities required for individuals and communities to be healthy and reach their full potential? (finds canada to be one of highest pov in developed nation )

Question 2

What are the three social policy discourses of Ruth Levitas?

Answer 2

1 moral underclass (MUD) no morals
social integrationist ()SID no jobs
redistributionist (RED) no money = problem

Question 3

what does poverty mean in a developed nation

Answer 3

deprivation from the material and social requirements for reaching ones full human and social potential expected in a devoped nation

Question 4

why is poverty in canada a concern

Answer 4

developement economic ethical legal health safety and spiritual concerns 1

Question 5

what are the economic concerns of poverty

Answer 5

not being able to adapt to rapidly changing work enviro due to cognitive and social skill inadequacy

Question 6

what is public policy

Answer 6

courses of action or inaction taking by public athorities to address a problem (s)

Question 7

how is gov in control of poverty

Answer 7

taxes, benefits and employement aggreement and distribution. housing, transport, labour laws, edu and employement policy (gov primary determinant of pov )

Question 8

moral undertone of poverty in developed nations

Answer 8

deserving and undeserving poor (not their fault or is)- little evidence

Question 9

what is a discorse

Answer 9

Dif ways of thinking about poverty - the way society makes sense of a phenomenon- some discourses more easily accpetable than others because how they fit w dominant economic and politics

Question 10

what is MUD?

Answer 10

asserts that the uderclass or socially excluded are distinct from the mianstream. focuses on behaviours of poor rather than society.
benefits encourage dependancy
is gendered- men criminals woman single mothers when idle
does not acknowledge unpaid work
dependancy on state viewed as problem but personal dependancy not

Question 11

what is RED

Answer 11

views poverty as primary cause of social exlusion
poverty redcued though increasing benefitis
values unpaid work
complex view of inequality
focus on process that creates ineq
implies radical reduction of inequalities and redistribution of power and resources
driven by unequal distribution of wealth and power

Question 12

what is SID

Answer 12

narrow focus on paid work
does not ask why people not working consigned to poverty
obscures issues of inequality amoung paid workers
ignores gender and class issues e.g. less pay for women
does not highlight inequality between owners of production and rest of population
ignores unpaid work
undermines legitimacy of non participation in paid work
coorece into paid labour force

Question 13

which discourse dominant in Canada

Answer 13

MUD- makes gov benefits so bad motivated to join workforce, poor bashing

Question 14

What is the Neo-Liberal / Neo-Conservative ideology discourse?

Answer 14

re embrace of free market ideology (70s)
changes to policy explained by this. goes against communal view that gov should intervene in market to ensure benefits for population
eg. Chretien era 1990- withdrew involvement and funding in things like housing redistributed in favour of buisness and trade

neo conservative: commitment to market for resource distribution with added blame on those who are poor (neoliberal with attitude toward poor)

Question 15

what is the the Marxist/Social Democratic discourse?

Answer 15

poor people are espential to people who dominate the economy. redistribute resources not distributed to poor into pockets of people up top. rich want poverty bcs it = their profits. bad worker wages = more profit

Question 16

what is the the feminist discourse?

Answer 16

focus on women more poverty. feminization of poverty in canada. patriarchy= weath power and prestige less avalible to women. no economic recognition of child bearing which limmits workforce engagement. doesnt take into account cost of child rearing

Question 17

are recent gov spending initiatives working

Answer 17

offset by growing wealth inequality = no dent

Question 18

how are poor people treated in neoliberal/ conservative

Answer 18

not supported financially as well as ostracized, blamed for situation

Question 19

what is the racialization discourse

Answer 19

people of colour more suseptible to social exclusion and inequality. racisn and discrimination heightened by economic competition, more weath power for economic elites

Question 20

How do these ideologies shape poverty solutions?

Answer 20

changes the implicit attitudes and explicit policy impacting poor people. changes role of gov investment in social infrastucture and support based on how the ideology views poverty being caused e.g stingy social assistance and refusal to raise the minimum wage in neoliberal/ conservative bcs beleive in free market opposed to communal view

Question 21

What are the three welfare state types

Answer 21

liberal conservative and social democratic

Question 22

what are different welfare states

Answer 22

systematic differences in how countries approach the provision of supports and security across the lifespan - influence poverty, health effets and pub policy. influ by citizens and values

Question 23

what type of welfare state is canada

Answer 23

liberal- liberty of market to distribute goods and resources. weak unions, only some in emplyee agreements. modest social program spending (means tested= low income assistance not universal ben)
social as limmited by work ethic attitudes = individual problem. individualistics ignores structual impacts

Question 24

describe conservative welfare states

Answer 24

generous benefits based on employment status (male breadwinners). majority covered by amp agreements but few unions = solidarity and social cohesion. earnings related benefits. assumes family supports citizens

Question 25

describe social democratic welfare states

Answer 25

emphasize role of state in securing citizens rights, reduce inequality. strong unions and emp ag. universal entitlement programs strive for full employement. inequalities minimized with redistributive programs- progressive income tax and benefits. emp training well resources. state benefits if problemsm. equality benefits provided to women e.g childcare

Question 26

what is result of welfare state type

Answer 26

social= lowest poverty, less income ineq and best health
liberal lighest poverty poorest health

Question 27

how does public policy influence poverty

Answer 27

shaping material and social conditions people exposed to . public policy = poverty= social determinant of health

Question 28

what are social determinants of health

Answer 28

economic and social conditions that shape health e.g. education aboriginal status race gender early life = identity interacts with way society is organized to produce vulnerability. qual and qual of resources available to dif members of society

Question 29

how to improve social determinants

Answer 29

policy e.g. early life determinant reduce poverty for families. childcare policy= less poverty= better health
or edu, increase spending on education

Question 30

why are policy actions important

Answer 30

social determinants shape extent to which individuals, communities etc are provided with physical social and personal resources to meet needs and acheive.
poverty = social determinants so problematic = cluster of disadvantages
policy= social determinant= poverty = health and quality of life / can work in reverse as well, accumulation of deprevation

Question 31

public plicy creates poverty

Answer 31

t or can make better

Question 32

what is more nuanced model

Answer 32

welfare state sets perameters of public policy = policy = social determinants of health = poverty = social determinant= public policy = health and QL

Question 33

why if conditions are better than in underdeveloped nations poverty in can so impactful.

Answer 33

cant participate in activities expected living in advanced developed society