Week 3.2 - Social Development, Social Policy and Social Protection Flashcards
What is social policy?
Social policy consists of major transformative instruments, many of which are unavoidable for meaningful development and economic “catch-up”
What are residual approaches to social policy?
Residual approaches provide state assistance only when needs are unmet by other institutions (family, religion, market)
They are viewed as temporary safety nets, avoiding dependence
What are universal approaches to social policy?
Universal approaches make social security a normal function of the state, covering all citizens with adequate benefits as a claimable entitlement based on rights or contributions
What does Mkandawire argue about policy regimes?
Policy regimes are never purely universal or targeted but exist on a continuum
Where they fall on this continuum shapes life chances and social order
What is transformative social policy?
Transformative social policy aims to reshape the economy through legitimation, accumulation, industrial peace, redistribution, reproduction, and human capital development
Why can’t social policy models from advanced economies be directly applied to poorer agrarian economies?
Poorer economies lack the state capacity to enforce laws, tax populations effectively, and implement independent policies
What does Polanyi’s ‘Great Transformation’ describe?
It describes the expansion of markets and commodification of goods and services, leading to a double movement where societies resist through de-commodification and welfare regimes
How did newly independent states adopt social policies?
Many post-colonial states adopted welfare policies from their colonizers while promoting import-substituting industrialization
What are the key features of neo-liberal social policy?
Retrenchment of the state, public expenditure cuts, privatization, trade liberalization, low-tax regimes, and prioritization of inflation control and debt repayment
How did the East Asian financial crisis challenge familialism?
It exposed the limits of relying on family-based welfare systems, leading to demands for state-led social protection
How does the World Bank define social risk management?
Welfare is measured by income and consumption flows
Risks are adverse shocks threatening welfare, and private insurance is the preferred solution
The state intervenes only to improve market function and provide safety nets
Why does the World Bank prefer private over state-based risk management?
It believes state interventions should not “crowd out” private solutions, as markets should handle all risk arrangements except for incapacitated individuals
What is a key critique of neo-liberal social policy?
It leads to biased social provision, commodification of basic services, inefficiency in private provision, lack of accountability, and exclusion of vulnerable groups
What does universalism entail?
It redistributes wealth from the powerful to the less powerful and requires a shared vision of a “good society” through a sustainable social contract
What are normative arguments for universalism?
It is based on rights and duties between the state and citizens, securing livelihoods, and enabling participation in society
What are practical arguments for universalism?
Universal programs generate economic multipliers, while targeted programs have high administrative costs and often exclude eligible recipients
What is the relationship between taxation and state legitimacy?
Tax reliance builds a relationship between the state and citizens, justifying state expenditures and ensuring fiscal justice
What are potential revenue sources for social protection?
Domestic taxation (wealth tax), international taxation (Tobin tax), and improved efficiency in tax collection
What are key principles of the human rights framework?
Progressive realization, maximum resource use, avoidance of retrogression, meeting minimum economic and social rights, non-discrimination, participation, transparency, and accountability
What is the ‘global social floor’?
It ensures basic security for all citizens through pensions, child benefits, employment programs, and universal healthcare
How has social protection evolved in developing countries?
It has shifted from short-term safety nets to broader policies integrating poverty reduction, human capital investment, and economic development
How do different organizations conceptualize social protection?
World Bank: Social risk management, focusing on income stabilization
ILO: A human rights-based entitlement
UN: A basic needs approach covering income, employment, healthcare, and housing
What factors contributed to the rise of social protection?
Structural adjustment failures, financial crises, informal labor growth, globalization-driven poverty, and MDGs emphasizing poverty reduction
How did Latin America reform its social protection?
It transitioned from fragmented donor-driven safety nets to large-scale domestic programs like Bolsa Familia (Brazil) and Oportunidades (Mexico)
How did South Asia develop social protection?
India’s NREGS guarantees 100 days of work per year
Sri Lanka has the most successful system, while Bangladesh and Pakistan struggle with weak implementation
How did Southeast and East Asia expand social protection?
After the 1997 financial crisis, Indonesia and the Philippines expanded social assistance China developed urban social assistance (MLSS)
How is social protection in Sub-Saharan Africa characterized?
Historically focused on emergency relief
Pilot cash transfer programs have emerged, but wealthier nations (e.g., South Africa) have stronger systems
How do international organizations influence social protection?
ILO supports universalism but lacks financial power
World Bank shifted from market-driven to cash transfer approaches
IMF prioritizes macroeconomic stability, limiting social spending
UN agencies & NGOs support targeted interventions, particularly in health and child welfare
What are constraints to expanding social protection?
Limited financing (low tax revenues, poor budget efficiency), weak delivery capacity, corruption, and low public awareness
What is the core debate in social protection?
The debate centers on universalism (coverage as a right) vs. residualism (benefits only for the “deserving” poor)
Why did market-oriented policies rise in the 1980s-90s?
Neoliberalism criticized state welfare as inefficient, promoting decentralization, privatization, and user fees
What were the failures of targeted social policies?
User fees reduced healthcare and education access, increased inequality, and social funds often benefited well-connected groups
How do different regions approach redistribution?
Europe: Supports redistribution to reduce inequality
USA: Resists welfare policies, emphasizing upward mobility
Latin America: Prioritizes growth over redistribution
What is incremental universalism?
A gradual transition to universal protection, starting with minimum benefits and expanding as fiscal capacity grows
What are ‘double dividends’ in social protection?
Well-designed programs provide both immediate safety nets and long-term economic growth
What is the ‘horizontal’ model of citizenship?
Citizenship includes social obligations beyond state relations, such as education, community participation, and environmental preservation
Why is public funding for social protection controversial?
It is often dismissed as a “waste of money,” but evidence shows well-designed programs improve economic stability
What did the COVID-19 pandemic reveal about social protection?
It reinforced the need for universal social protection systems by exposing large gaps in coverage, adequacy, and comprehensiveness
Why is universalism preferable to targeted approaches in crises?
Universal systems are automatically primed to protect all affected by systemic shocks, unlike targeted approaches, which require complex administrative processes
What is poverty targeting?
A mechanism to identify individuals living in poverty for social assistance
It may include entitlement conditions like work requirements, health check-ups, or school attendance for children
What is a major issue with targeted schemes?
They produce high exclusion errors, with some programs having exclusion rates above 70%
Universal schemes have lower exclusion errors (below 10%)
How does excessive targeting affect beneficiaries?
It creates complex procedures, turning social workers into gatekeepers who focus on preventing fraud instead of service delivery
What is a key argument against excessive targeting?
It increases social stigma, discouraging eligible poor individuals from applying for benefits
How do universalist schemes reduce barriers to social protection?
They eliminate the shame of proving poverty, increase public support for redistribution, and improve redistributive outcomes
How should targeted approaches be used within social protection?
They should be part of a broader system that includes tax-financed schemes and social insurance to ensure a social protection floor for all
What is the current global coverage gap in social protection?
53% of the global population has no form of social protection, mainly due to underinvestment
How do universal social protection systems benefit revenue creation?
They create a virtuous cycle by expanding public funding, offering higher value transfers, and increasing political and economic stability
How does digital technology impact social protection administration?
It can improve accuracy in targeting and reduce human error but poses privacy risks, transparency concerns, and data security issues
What are the different types of targeting?
Categorical targeting (e.g., age-based pensions, child benefits)
Poverty targeting (based on income or assets)
Geographic targeting (directs benefits to high-poverty areas)
Community-based targeting (relies on local actors to select beneficiaries)
What are some documented failures of poverty targeting?
Among 25 programs, less than 25% coverage
12 had exclusion errors above 70%, 5 above 90%
Universal programs consistently had exclusion errors below 10%
How should targeting be applied in universal social protection systems?
It should be a supplementary measure, not the dominant approach, within a mix of tax-financed and contributory social insurance schemes
What makes targeting ineffective in low-income countries?
Over 50% of the population is often income-poor, making small-group targeting inequitable and prone to social exclusion
What is the human rights perspective on social protection?
Social security is a human right, and international standards (ILO, UN) recognize targeting only as a temporary measure within universal systems
How can universal social protection be financed?
Expanding fiscal space through progressive taxation, reducing illicit financial flows, better debt management, and improving tax collection capacity
What is the economic impact of investing in social protection?
Investing 1% of GDP in social protection has led to tax revenue increases of 2.1%-10.4% over ten years in eight countries
What is the relationship between universal social protection and public trust?
Universal systems build trust, encourage tax compliance, promote social cohesion, and lead to stronger state legitimacy
Why do universal social protection systems receive more public funding?
They mobilize broad political support across all income levels, unlike poverty-targeted programs, which are often underfunded
How did COVID-19 highlight state capacity issues?
It showed that states could act decisively but also exposed deficiencies in regulation, taxation, and service delivery
How can digital technology improve targeting?
Big data and machine learning can improve accuracy but also introduce high costs, transparency issues, and privacy risks
What were the results of Togo’s Novissi cash transfer program?
Big data improved targeting accuracy by only 5%, demonstrating the limits of digital-based targeting
Why do universal approaches reduce reliance on targeting?
They simplify social protection systems, ensuring broader coverage without the need for complex eligibility criteria
Why is social policy essential for development?
It is not just a safety net but a key part of economic policy, enhancing productivity, workforce stability, and social cohesion
What evidence supports social policy as a development strategy?
Nordic countries and early industrializers used strong social policies to boost long-term economic growth
What are critiques of prioritizing social policy?
Some argue excessive social spending can strain fiscal resources, discourage investment, and increase dependency
What alternative approach is suggested?
A hybrid model balancing economic liberalization with targeted social investments
How has globalization affected social policy?
It has led to increased privatization of social services, influenced by structural adjustment policies and international financial institutions
What are alternative perspectives on globalization and social policy?
Some argue globalization increases resources for social policies through foreign investment rather than restricting them
What is a key failure of the “trickle-down” approach?
Economic growth alone does not reduce poverty or inequality; redistributive policies are necessary for equitable development
What alternative approach balances economic expansion with equity?
Inclusive growth strategies combining market-driven expansion with targeted redistribution.
