History of Social Welfare

Prehistory of Social Welfare

• Early forms of welfare were based on feudalism, with communities supporting their members.
• The rise of capitalism and migration to cities led to a breakdown of traditional community welfare systems.

The Statute of Laborers

• The Statute of Laborers was enacted in response to labor shortages caused by the Black Death.
• It aimed to control worker wages and mobility, favoring employers.

The Poor Law

• The Poor Law distinguished between "deserving" and "undeserving" poor, providing different levels of support.
• It offered both indoor and outdoor relief, but focused on reducing the "less eligibility" standard of living, ensuring welfare recipients lived worse than the working class.

Economic Theories

• Mercantilism focused on government intervention to protect the economy from competitors.
• Laissez-faire promotes a free market with minimal government interference.
• Keynesian economics favors government intervention to prevent economic crises.
• Monetarism emphasizes reducing the money supply to control inflation.

Types of Programs

• Contributory programs are social insurance programs like pension plans.
  • Employment Insurance (EI) is an example of a contributory program.
• Non-contributory programs are social assistance like welfare benefits.
  • Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) is an example of a non-contributory program.

Delivery Types

• Cash programs offer direct financial aid like old-age pensions.
• In-kind programs provide goods and services such as healthcare and education.

Coverage and Amount Transferred

• Universal programs provide benefits to all citizens, like universal healthcare.
• Selective programs target specific groups, such as means-tested welfare benefits.

Examples of Programs

• Cash programs: Old-age pensions (OAS), unemployment insurance (EI), workers' compensation (WC), social assistance (SA), veteran pensions.
• Tax/Fiscal Measures: Childcare deductions, registered retirement savings plans (RRSP), medical expense deductions.
• In-kind Programs: Medicare, social housing, provisions and shelter aid, education, legal aid.
• Legislation: Minimum wage, employee equity.
• Occupational Benefits: Health benefits, pension plans, sport and recreational facilities.
• Voluntary and Charitable Measures: Food banks, shelters, soup kitchens.

Context of Social Policy

• Social policy is not inherent in capitalism and requires justification from various perspectives: ideological, political, and economic.

Primary Distribution

• In a capitalist economy, the primary distribution of goods and services occurs through the free market, where workers receive wages for their labor.

Secondary Distribution

• Social welfare redistributes wealth through taxation, regulations, and social programs.

Needs and Social Policy

• Needs are influenced by societal definitions.
• Assumed needs include universal entitlements like child benefits.
• Income needs are tied to poverty relief.
• Specific needs arise from particular circumstances, such as medical or legal needs.

Social Insurance & Compensation

• Social insurance programs protect against social risks like unemployment or illness.
• Compensation programs provide compensation for loss due to events like injury or military service.

Investment in Human Capital

• Education and training programs enhance human capital.
• Skills training programs provide technical skills and retraining.
• Relocation support programs aid workers in moving for job opportunities.
• Job search information programs offer resources and guidance for employment.

Economic Growth and Stability

• Keynesian economics utilizes social expenditures to regulate the economy and prevent social unrest.
• Shifting expenditures from businesses to taxpayers can achieve social goals.

Feudalism and the Emergence of Community Welfare

• The means of production in feudalism was primarily land and community resources.
• Community responsibility for the well-being of its members was central.

The Impact of Capitalism and Migration

• The rise of capitalism led to an increase in the movement of people from rural areas to cities.
• This migration resulted in the collapse of traditional community welfare systems.

The Statute of Laborers

• Passed in response to worker demands for higher salaries and better living conditions following the Black Death.
• Required workers to return to their masters and accept whatever employment was offered, reflecting government support for employers.

The Poor Law

• Distinguished between the deserving poor and the undeserving poor.
• Provided indoor relief (institutional care) and outdoor relief (community-based care).
• Aimed to provide a less eligibility standard of living.

Economic Theories

• Mercantilism: Government intervention to protect the economy from competitors.
• Laissez-faire: No government interference in the economy.
• Keynesian Economics: Government intervention to prevent economic crises.
• Monetarism: Reducing the money supply to prevent inflation.

Types of Programs

By Type of Financing

• Contributory programs: Social insurance programs funded by contributions from individuals or employers.
• Non-contributory programs: Social assistance programs funded by government revenue.

By Delivery Type

• Cash programs: Direct financial assistance, including old-age pensions and unemployment insurance.
• In-kind programs: Provision of goods and services, such as healthcare and education.

By Coverage and Amount

• Universal programs: Benefits provided to all citizens, such as universal healthcare.
• Selective programs: Benefits targeted at specific groups based on need, such as means-tested welfare benefits.

Social Policy Context

• Social policy is not inherent in capitalism.
• Each social policy requires ideological, political, and economic justification.
• The primary distribution of goods and services occurs through the free market.
• Social welfare involves a secondary distribution of goods and services through government intervention.

Needs and Social Policy

• Needs are subject to social definition.
• Assumed needs are considered universal, such as child benefits.
• Income needs are related to income, like poverty relief.
• Other needs are specific to individual circumstances, such as medical or legal needs.

Social Insurance and Compensation

• Social insurance protects against social risks such as unemployment or illness.
• Compensation provides payment for loss, such as workers' compensation or veteran pensions.

Investment in Human Capital

• Education programs provide education and training.
• Skills training programs offer skills development and retraining.
• Relocation programs support individuals with relocation assistance.
• Job search information programs provide guidance on job search and employment opportunities.

Ensuring Economic Growth and Stability

• Keynesian economics uses social expenditures to manage the economy and mitigate social unrest.
• Shifting expenditures from business to taxpayers helps achieve social policy goals.

This quiz explores the evolution of social welfare from feudalism to modern economic theories. It covers significant milestones such as the Statute of Laborers and the Poor Law, reflecting on the societal impacts of these policies. Test your knowledge on how these changes shaped contemporary welfare systems.