Class 1: Intro to Social Policy

Question 1

Definitions of social policy

Answer 1

• Social action sanctioned by a society
• A collective strategy to address social problems
• Efforts to “shape the overall quality of life in a society, the living conditions of its members, and their relations to one another and to society as a whole

Question 2

The objectives of social policy are varied

Answer 2

• May be social justice, equity, social cohesion; ex: Anti-discrimination policy in hiring and housing is concerned with equity
• Not all policies are designed to do the same thing; Usually have multiple reasons for their existence

Question 3

Social Policy affects all

Answer 3

• Social policy affects all people along the entire income spectrum; Employee provided health benefits, unemployment insurance, free public education, medicare
• Both as recipients and taxpayers
• Ways (ex’s) in which we receive very helpful benefits

Question 4

Social policy as an activity involves

Answer 4

• Creation or shaping of a course of action
• Making choices among alternative policies or evaluating policies already in place
• Implementing or carrying out a policy
• Domestic or International

Question 5

Social policy as a field

Answer 5

• Includes: Governmental actions; Interventions; Laws; Regulations: that provide indiv’s with a defined minimum standard of living income, goods, services as a matter of legal right, regardless of the normal market patterns of distributions
• What you would have access to in those areas according to your market income

Question 6

What is social welfare policy?

Answer 6

• Social Welfare: “Social, economic, educational, and health needs that are fundamental to the maintenance of society”
• Involves social exclusion

Question 7

Definitions of social welfare policy

Answer 7

There are many, but it regulates the provision of benefits to people to meet basic life needs, such as employment, income, food, housing, health care, and relationships

Question 8

What’s important to remember about social policy

Answer 8

• Know what questions to ask
• Pay attention to short term/long term impacts of policies
• Many kinds of implications behind policies

Question 9

Where do social welfare activities occur?

Answer 9

Social welfare activities can occur in any of 6 fundamental institutions of society

• Kinship: Family, Intuitive, First line of defense
• Religion
• Marketplace (producers and consumers): Housing; Low Income Housing Tax Credit for producing affordable housing; Forgiveness of state/property and other taxes for locating a business in a distressed area (boosting economy)
• Workplace (employers and employees): Tax incentive to employers for providing health insurance; Use of pre-tax dollars for employees to purchase health insurance
• Mutual assistance (ex. voluntary organizations, social support groups, private philanthropy)
• Government (local, state, federal)

Question 10

[Perspectives on govt’s role in social welfare policy] Residual

Answer 10

Government’s role in ensuring the social welfare of its people is only necessary when the “traditional” institutions responsible for social welfare are unable to fulfill their obligations

• Usually advocates of this perspective define traditional to mean: Kinship, Mutual assistance, Religion
• Note: There is a variation among supporters about how much government should act in the marketplace and whether this action should target producers or consumers

Question 11

[Perspectives on gov’ts role in social welfare policy] Institutional

Answer 11

Social welfare policy is an integral and primary function of govt.
- In this view, the institution of govt is designed to confront and address social problems

Question 12

[Perspectives on gov’ts role in social welfare policy] Development

Answer 12

Focuses on human development, realizing its potential, and promoting or improving quality of life for individuals and groups
- This view moves beyond a focus on social problems, to address “positive” outcomes

Question 13

The creation of policy is accompanied by political conflicts over…

Answer 13

The nature and causes of social problems

• Based on why you view the problem as a problem; Directly related to the policy you’re thinking of (the policy that caused it)
• What do we actually know? (step 2); Apply actual data to your model

The role of govt in society; Which vision of govt should dominate?

Burden of tax payers- who should pay and how much?

• What you’re willing to pay for
• Who pays what? Citizens fund the govt

Strategies for coping with social problems- directly tied into how an observer views the nature and cause of the social problem

Question 14

Think of policy as a process

Answer 14

• Planning/formulating (policy-making)
• Implementation/administration (expression of policy)
• Evaluation (policy outcomes)
• Correction (changes based on feedback)