Social Policy Environment in Canada PDF

**🌎 Social Policy Environment** **Values and Beliefs** Social welfare efforts reflect the dominant values and beliefs of society. A **value** is the worth, desirability, and usefulness placed on something, while a **belief** is an opinion or conviction on something. *\"A value is a principle or...

**🌎 Social Policy Environment** **Values and Beliefs** Social welfare efforts reflect the dominant values and beliefs of society. A **value** is the worth, desirability, and usefulness placed on something, while a **belief** is an opinion or conviction on something. *\"A value is a principle or standard that guides behavior and decision-making, while a belief is a conviction or opinion that is held to be true.\"* Shifts in values and beliefs cause shifts in social policy. Policy always reflects conflicting values and beliefs. **Religious Values** A large proportion of Canadians identify with established religions. The development of social policy can be tracked back to values reflected in the dominant religions. - Reflect strong symbolism of charity and concern for the needy - Sympathetic attitude and practice towards the poor and disadvantaged - No redistribution or social change Religious values translated to individual reforms, not social change. **Social Values** - **Social responsibility**: most people believe that society should take care of those who cannot take care of themselves - **Social citizenship**: citizens should also be expected to be involved in society - **Social justice**: an ideal condition in which all elements of society have the same basic rights, protections, opportunities, obligations, and benefits Historical inequities should be acknowledged and addressed. **Deserving vs. Undeserving** The difference between who is worthy and who is not is firmly based on individuals\' views of the circumstances that led to the need. **Perspective** **View of Poverty** **View of Solution** -------------------- -------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------- Individual Failure Personal failure, lack of effort Individual effort, personal responsibility System Failure Social, political, economic system failure Public interventions, system change **Capitalism and Tradition** Capitalism and tradition call for individualism, while democracy calls for social collective participation. **Individual vs. System Change** If individual failure, then poverty, family breakdown, mental illness, child welfare should be addressed by individual efforts only. If system (social) failure, then these should be addressed by public interventions. **Self-Sufficiency vs. Social Support** Should we support self-sufficiency or accept on-going needs addressed by social support? **Approach** **View of Social Support** **View of Individual Role** ------------------ ---------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------- Self-Sufficiency Individualism, personal responsibility Individuals should take care of themselves Social Support Collectivism, social responsibility Society should provide support to those in need **Entitlement vs. Handout** If entitlement, then social support is a right, and people are entitled to some basic standards of living. If handout, then social support is provided by people with the power to those in need as a matter of personal sympathy and charity. **Sympathy vs. Empathy** **Concept** **Definition** **Key Characteristics** ------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Sympathy Compassion, sorrow for someone\'s misfortune, and desire to alleviate suffering Presupposes misfortune, stresses hierarchy of giver/receiver Empathy Identification of oneself with another, taking into consideration the external conditions that contribute to misfortune Does not presuppose misfortune, does not lead to hierarchy of giver/receiver **Social Values in Crisis Response** Aid to whom we know vs. aid to a stranger? Wealth, race, education effect trust vs. suspicious vs. paternalism. **Two Traditions of Social Welfare** - **Charitable Organization Societies**: focus on individual reforms, not social change - **Settlement Houses**: focus on social change, community development **Cause vs. Function** **Concept** **Definition** ------------- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cause The issue on which people take a moral stand or position to improve society Function The day-to-day effort to provide service, focusing on organization, techniques, theories, efficiency, standards, accountability **Biological Determinism** Biological heredity determines how people behave. Survival of the fittest. Those at the top because of their inherited abilities or better survival skills. **Theory** **View of Human Behavior** **View of Social Problems** ------------------------ ------------------------------------------------ -------------------------------------------- Biological Determinism Determined by biology Individual failure, lack of effort Social Welfare Influenced by environment, social surroundings Social, political, economic system failure **Blaming the Victim** One variation of individual responsibility. Easier and more comfortable to blame the victim than all society, including us. **Self-Interest & Class Interests** Second-order victim blaming. Explain why social welfare programs fail. **Culture of Poverty** Asserts that some people are born poor and choose to socialize to remain poor. Poverty is a cultural destiny passed from one generation to another. **Industrialization and Social Welfare** The development of social welfare policies in response to the social problems caused by industrialization. Life under feudalism, move to capitalism and industrialization. Role of land, as a means of production. Role of extended family and community. **Cycles of History** Social welfare development followed cycles of individual and social responsibility. Continuing shift in national involvement between public purpose and private interest. **Social Control** Social welfare is a tool used by those in power to prevent or quell social unrest and reinforce the employment system. **Elite Power Theory** The nation is dominated by a small capitalist class which is well connected to those who make policy. It is difficult for the poor, minorities, trade unions to make change.