Lecture 1&2

Question 1

What is Social Policy?

Answer 1

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

What are the objectives of social policy?

Answer 2

May be social justice, equity, social cohesion.

Question 3

Social policy includes what fields? (4)

Answer 3

1. Governmental actions. 2. Interventions. 3. Laws 4. Regulations

Question 4

Social work as a field gives what to people through institutions?

Answer 4

Provide individuals with a defined minimum standard of living income, goods, services as a matter of legal right, regardless of the normal market patterns of distributions.

Question 5

What is the NASW?

Answer 5

The Code of Ethics for Social Work.

Question 6

What is the ideology of social work?

Answer 6

Support and advocacy for a particular philosophy and pursuit of its ramifications.

Question 7

What does the NASW state?

Answer 7

“Social workers promote social justice and social change with and on behalf of clients.”

Question 8

What is social welfare?

Answer 8

Social, economic, educational, and health needs that are fundamental to the maintenance of society.

Question 9

What is a social welfare policy?

Answer 9

Involves a series of political issues about what should be done for the poor, near poor and non-poor.

Question 10

Where do social welfare programs occur? (6)

Answer 10

1. Kinship. 2. Religion. 3. Marketplace (producers and consumers). 4. Workplace. 5. Mutual assistance. 6. Government.

Question 11

What are three perspectives on the government’s role in social welfare?

Answer 11

1. Residual. 2. Institutional. 3. Developmental.

Question 12

How does the developmental perspective view the government’s role in social welfare?

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

How does the institutional perspective view the government’s role in social welfare?

Answer 13

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

Question 14

How does the residual perspective view the government’s role in social welfare?

Answer 14

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.

Question 15

What are common ways in which people differ on their view of a policy? (4)

Answer 15

1. Moral premises. 2. Causes of problem. 3. Assessment of policies available. 4. Beliefs about the proper role/size of government.

Question 16

What is a welfare state?

Answer 16

A state that takes on as a central task assuring the overall well-being of its citizens.

Question 17

What are two primary reasons the welfare state came into existence?

Answer 17

1. Rise of capitalism. 2. The wholesale changes wrought by the the Industrial Revolution of the 17th and 18th centuries as the primary system of economic exchange.

Question 18

Who was Martin Luther and what did he do?

Answer 18

A Lutheran. Translated the bible into German so anyone could read it. Allowed for increased knowledge at a time that the catholic church was corrupt.

Question 19

Who was America attractive for? (4)

Answer 19

1. Displaced laborers. 2. Landless. 3. Religiously persecuted. 4. English poor.

Question 20

What was different about American land that set the seeds for the economy and the American Revolution?

Answer 20

1. They had access to farms which become individual units of production. 2. Families produced goods, traded and earned money in a way that would have been impossible in England.

Question 21

What kind of “natural rights” was America’s first government based on? (3)

Answer 21

1. Government was only legitimate if it had the will of the people. 2. Divided government to provide checks and balances. 3. Rejection of monarchy and oligarchy

Question 22

What led Americans to take such large amounts of land from the natives?

Answer 22

Manifest Destiny - believed they were led by god.

Question 23

What provided an important aspect of America’s agricultural economy?

Answer 23

Slavery.

Question 24

What is “noblesse oblige”?

Answer 24

The responsibilities of moneyed, privileged class towards helping “lessers”.

Question 25

When did the first social programs begin in America? What were they?

Answer 25

In the 1960s. They were the social security act and great society programs.

Question 26

What are core American ideals? (4)

Answer 26

1. Freedom. 2. Choice. 3. Opportunity. 4. Mobility.

Question 27

What are two ways to view opportunity?

Answer 27

1. Opportunity to access. 2. Opportunity to outcome.