Week 5 - Social Policy and Emerging Realities

Question 1

What are the 5 major emerging issues affecting social policy in Canada?

Answer 1

1. The environmental imperative
2. Globalization
3. Social welfare retrenchment
4. Conceptions relating to citizenship & social inclusion
5. The growing impact of social movements

Question 2

T/F - “Rachel Carson’s (1962) “The Silent Spring” was one of the earliest modern day environmental treaties” (Graham, et al., p. 100), which documented the detrimental effects on the environment of the indiscriminate use of pesticides (e.g., DDT). This book was named one of the 25 greatest science books of all time by Discover Magazine.

Answer 2

true

Question 3

T/F - environmental movements do no seek to change social consciousness and legislation world-wide

Answer 3

false - increasing numbers of environmental movements has sought to change social consciousness and legislation world-wide

BUT more environmental incidents occurred i.e. Chernobyl disaster (April 1986) up to 985,000 got cancer

**Fukushima, Japan (2011) – big earthquake and tsunami and there was a nuclear power plant was involved. In the aftermath plants have changed

Question 4

Murphy’s Law was discussed in relation to the Environmental imperative, what does that law say?

Answer 4

“Anything that can go wrong will go wrong”

Question 5

Describe the ecological footprint (4 contributing factors)

Answer 5

it represents the impact of each person on the environment, through consumption of all:
-fossil fuels
-production
-misuses of forests and water
-human settlement

It’s measured in hectares on earth in a given year

Canada: 7.01 (global hectares/person)

Question 6

T/F - developed world is primarily responsible for the current ecological crisis

Answer 6

true

Question 7

**Why is it so hard to bring it (the ecological footprint) down?

This is a typical phenomenon of “externality” that a consequence of an economic activity is WHAT?

Answer 7

experienced by unrelated third parties (impacts someone else).

Question 8

T/F - Canada domestic production of CO2 is 15-20 tones/person compared with 5 tones globally and tends to increase

Answer 8

true

Question 9

What are 2 reasons why Canada produces a lot of CO2?

Answer 9

• Weather is cold here
• Country is too big, so people drive a lot here

Question 10

T/F - Thinking about the Environmental imperative raises the issue of sustainability which is an economic, political and environmental world view that promotes present and future generations of stewardship of the physical world

Answer 10

true

Question 11

T/F - Although there are a few major summits targeting global environmental & ecological actions, actions are great and seeing improvements

Answer 11

false - actions are limited
**Canada is among the worst, and there is no substantial policy move dealing with this issue

Question 12

Globalization - is a current and pervasive trend of internationalized in which 4 areas?

Answer 12

– Finance
– Communication
– Ideology
– Political arrangements

Question 13

Because of globalization - A change in one country can quickly cause WHAT?

Answer 13

a significant change in all countries in the areas of…
– Finance
– Communication
– Ideology
– Political arrangements

Question 14

a British princess (Diana) sitting in a German car with her Greek boyfriend being chased by French journalists who are using Japanese cameras

is an example of what?

Answer 14

joke about globalization

Question 15

T/F - Implications of globalization include an investment can move quickly & easily across borders.

Answer 15

true

Question 16

T/F - Implications of globalization - Corporations follow principles of transnational competition for lucrative market and actively pursue inexpensive labor

Answer 16

true

Question 17

In terms of globalization - corporations do not enjoy growing sovereignty in the absence of constraining nation legislation or intra-national structures

Answer 17

false - they do enjoy this

Question 18

T/F - Because of globalization consumers have to pay more for foreign goods

Answer 18

false - Consumers enjoy cheaper foreign goods

**However, workers in some countries may face international competitions

Question 19

T/F - Many people benefit from globalization – i.e. business people who sell goods to other countries. However certain industries get shut down because other countries produce those same goods for cheaper

Answer 19

true

Question 20

T/F - In terms of the Economic Context of Globalization:

An increasing economic integration and interdependence of national, regional and local economies across the world through an intensification of cross-border movement of goods, services, technologies, capital and human being.

Answer 20

true

Question 21

T/F - In terms of the Economic Context of Globalization:

there is spreading and shifting of capitalism/modernity from the West to Japan (1960s), South Korea, Taiwan, Singapore, Hong Kong (1970s), China (1980s), Eastern European and Russia (1989 -1992), and almost everywhere on the earth.

Answer 21

true

Question 22

T/F - In terms of the Economic Context of Globalization:

we see emerging international treaties and free trade agreements since 1960s

Answer 22

true

Question 23

How does the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), 1994 – impact Canada?

Answer 23

we follow the taxation and regulations closer to the US and Mexico which impacts Canadian workers

Question 24

T/F - In terms of the Economic Context of Globalization:

There is extensive domestic legislation (often overriding international legal system)

Answer 24

false - Extensive international legal system (often overriding domestic legislation)

Question 25

Due to the Economic Context of Globalization:

People do not have freedom to migrate, travel, invest, and work in other member countries

Answer 25

false - they do have this freedom

Question 26

T/F - In terms of the Political Context of Globalization:

Politically, globalization has not transformed international relations during the past decades.

Answer 26

false it has profoundly transformed international relations

Question 27

In terms of the Political Context of Globalization:

Which democracy triumphed communism?

Answer 27

liberal

Question 28

T/F - In terms of the Political Context of Globalization:

The West won the “Cold War” in a way of “victory without war” in 1990s.

Answer 28

true

Question 29

T/F - In terms of the Political Context of Globalization:

Most of the communist countries, Eastern European countries, China and other former communist countries are keeping that ideology and not changing

Answer 29

false - they are in transition to market economics, regardless dropping the communism ideology officially or not.

Question 30

In terms of the Political Context of Globalization:

We are entering a new era of global political arrangements with emerging powers, how do you describe “the Brics”

Answer 30

Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa and Indonesia (biggest Muslim country).

Question 31

T/F - In terms of the Political Context of Globalization:

Foreign direct investment (outside of any one country) increased 5 times over the course of 1980s, leading to growing concentration of wealth in the world.

Answer 31

true

Question 32

T/F - In terms of the Political Context of Globalization:

A third of the wealth is now in the hands of 200 corporations (p.108-9). Why? (Examples, Berger King and Tim Hortons’ merge, GM and Apple’s international arrangements) – this number will reduce over time as big companies merge together (i.e. Berger King merged with Tim Hortons and setup main office here because Canada’s corporate tax was a little lower)

Answer 32

true

Question 33

In terms of the Political Context of Globalization:

Which ideology increasingly argue for the interests of multinational corporations and the market state approach to social welfare.

Answer 33

neo-liberal institutions

Question 34

In terms of the Political Context of Globalization:

Globalization allows for governments to control international corporations?

Answer 34

false - Globalization makes it difficult for any government to control international corporates, e.g., in taxation, salaries, and workplace. (For example, The Cayman Islands is the fifth-largest banking center in the world. Why?) – no industry there but they have that big bank because they don’t have tax.

Question 35

T/F - In terms of the Political Context of Globalization:

The lack of proper financial regulations for the global financial systems led to the financial crisis of 2008.

Answer 35

true

Could happen again soon as interest rates are now going up

Question 36

T/F - Since the 1980s, Federal and Provincial governments have enhanced their commitments to social welfare programs

Answer 36

false - Federal and Provincial governments have withdrawn from their commitments to social welfare programs

Question 37

Common themes about the welfare state in the last 30 years have implied that welfare state are proven which 2 things?

Answer 37

too expensive and are a cause of dependency

Question 38

The two fundamental driving forces for this retrenchment are:

Answer 38

The soaring government debts through 1980s;
The leveling force of globalization in labor and social welfare.

Question 39

In terms of the changing conceptions of social welfare in relation to citizenship and social inclusion:

Marshall’s (1949) “social citizenship” includes the development in three stages:

18th Century’s WHAT rights focusing property & legal rights, due process;

19th Century’s WHAT rights;

20th Century’s WHAT rights: the development of social welfare and economic security.

Answer 39

Civil rights, political rights, and social rights

Question 40

T/F - In Canada, entitlements of social citizenship have been met to some extent through federal social programs like Canada Assistance Plan (CAP)

Answer 40

true

Canada Assistance Plan (CAP):
-Obligated provinces to provide for persons in need
-Prohibited workfare & discrimination
-Required the development of an appeals system at the provincial level

-Later when CAP was replaced by the CHST (The Canada Health And Social Transfer)
-In 1996, the fed government signaled its reluctance.

Question 41

In terms of the changing conceptions of social welfare in relation to citizenship and social inclusion:

T/ F - The “civil society”. “The recent discussion have linked citizenship are to the idea of ‘civil society’ rather than the welfare state”

Answer 41

true

Question 42

WHICH s the aggregate of non-governmental organizations and institutions that reflect the interests and will of citizens.

Answer 42

Civil society

Question 43

In terms of the changing conceptions of social welfare in relation to citizenship and social inclusion:

Contemporary activists equate civil society with WHAT

Answer 43

“the third sector”- neither government nor market

Question 44

T/F - It seems that this third sector is not growing, transcending national boundaries and creating global coalitions.

Answer 44

false - it is growing in all those areas

Question 45

T/F - Social inclusion and social exclusion have become important concepts in understanding citizenship

Answer 45

true

Question 46

In terms of the changing conceptions of social welfare in relation to citizenship and social inclusion:

Advantages of using the language of inclusion/ exclusion are:

1- Includes WHAT relations in the analysis
2- Can incorporate many WHAT (quality of life, rights)
3- Involves “the social”- society is the focus not just the poor
4 - Highlights process over WHAT (e.g., the process of becoming poor as opposed to measuring poverty alone).

Answer 46

1 - power
2 - levels of experience
4 - Outcome

Question 47

The ideology behind universal programs is WHAT?

Answer 47

social inclusion

Question 48

In terms of the impacts of globalization on Canadian society and social policy…

economic impacts include Canadians enjoy the what type of products through international trade with low import tax rates.

Answer 48

cheaper

Question 49

In terms of the impacts of globalization on Canadian society and social policy…

due to economic impacts WHAT wages will be linked to global level (global wages)

Answer 49

domestic wages

Canadians might see lower wages as seen in other countries

Question 50

In terms of the impacts of globalization on Canadian society and social policy…

T/F - Due to economic impacts - Manufacture industries and workers will continue to suffer from global competitions, mostly from emerging economies. (In order to compete, we need to initiate something that emerging economies cannot do. Some small countries’ experiences.)

Answer 50

true
*As a developed countries we need to do something / produce something that other counties can’t in order to complete

Question 51

In terms of the impacts of globalization on Canadian society and social policy…

T/F - Globalization has several contrasting impacts on immigration including less global flows of population (migration)?

Answer 51

false - More global flows of population (migration) due to increasing information exchange and convenient means of transportations and deregulations.

Question 52

In terms of the impacts of globalization on Canadian society and social policy…

T/F - According to Samuelson’s theory of trade and labor substitution, international trade may reduce the needs for international migration. However, the actual case can be more complicated.

Answer 52

true

In the meanwhile, counter forces against globalizations have emerged since the mid of 2010s.

OPAEC and WTO reduced their functions; NAFTA renegotiated, TPP has ceased, UK withdrew from the EU

Question 53

Nationalism and protectionism can be called WHAT

Answer 53

anti-globalization (which has increased).

Question 54

Describe Brain Drain?

Answer 54

“Brain drain” to the US: Young, talented Canadians to the US. New immigrants in Canada may not fill this gap. (This was the case in 2000s’ during the Internet bubble.)

When young people move to a place they bring with them their education (human capital) – so they are not only physically moving but brining with them their human capital.

Question 55

T/F - Globalization enhances the government’s power in policy-making, such as minimum wages standards.

Answer 55

false limits government power

Question 56

Global economic competition may lead to WHAT

Answer 56

lead to some kind “race to the bottom” in regulations of working conditions and environment protection, unless more international cooperation standards are set to overcome all kinds of “externality”.

(All governments deny that they conduct the “race to the bottom” for political reason.)

Question 57

Global economic changes will affect the WHAT economy and cause what?

Answer 57

domestic economy and will eventually impact social policy nationally and locally.

Question 58

T/F - Migration, the advance of information technology, Google, Facebook, iPhone, Wikipedia and Twitter, are shaping the global culture.

Answer 58

true

Question 59

T/F - Social policy is relatively stable?

Answer 59

true - Social policy is relatively stable, (it changes when there is strong pressure or economic crisis) and changes irregularly, lagging other changes. When the effects of changes in other areas have accumulated to certain point, there is a demand for a change, but a policy change may happen irrationally and arbitrarily.

Question 60

What are the 6 reasons why we need to examine the consequences of policy?

Answer 60

1- There are real life people who are impacted by policy - so through looking at the consequences you could see if it’s a smart and logical choice for real people

2- Make sure the policy is good (this is the purpose of policy) – positive & negative effects

3- It will influence future policies, to make sure the policy is good - you don’t want to keep a bad policy

4- Accountability - Holds people making the policies accountable

5 - Policy may not be the best, but it can prevent the worst

6 - People can give their feedback – more corporative rather than top down

*when people make a policy – the policy is something stated (they have intension based on an ideology)

Question 61

How Does Globalization limits the power of government in policy making (5 points)

Answer 61

1. Cost of living – goods would be cheaper, wages would be low,
2. International companies have may power / influence over the local government
3. Decentralization of knowledge, more individualism and access to information
4. Give more power to the individuals
5. Free trade – every country can sell cheap goods, countries relocate