Week 12: Normative Base of Welfare: Part 1

Question 1

what frames debates on welfare?

Answer 1

• normative ideas (norms)

- morality/ethics

Question 2

where does the idea of government provided ‘welfare’ come from?

Answer 2

• historical role of faith-based charity and general benevolence “
• 19th century: age of charity
• voluntary activity to meet ‘gaps’ or failing
• western countries: early welfare was christian in its origins

Question 3

What are the origins of the debates on welfare

Answer 3

charity and philanthropy

Question 4

define charity

Answer 4

“almsgiving; the private or public relief of unfortunate or needy persons; benevolence”

Question 5

define philanthropy

Answer 5

desire to promote welfare of others, especially through donation of money to good causes
- usually refers to wealthy individuals/businesses’ voluntary

Question 6

how do charity and philanthropy overlap?

Answer 6

• charity relieve immediate
• philanthropy is long term
• address underlying cause - not always clearcut

Question 7

are women or men more likely to volunteer in australia?

Answer 7

women (45%) men (36%)

Question 8

in australia, where are the higher rates of volunteering

Answer 8

outside capital cities

Question 9

where does australia rank on the list of giving countries in 2016

Answer 9

third

Question 10

where do donations in australia typically come from

Answer 10

national level: south-eastern states and territories (at least based on donations that are tax deductible)

Question 11

how is christian charity linked with the development of social work

Answer 11

urban based poverty during industrial revolution

Question 12

what are affluent individuals in islam obliged to pay/ why?

Answer 12

• pay zakat (charity)
• ushar (form of religious tax)
• one of the five pillars of islam
• redistribution of wealth to muslims
• purifying one’s wealth and soul

Question 13

what is sadqah?

Answer 13

voluntary charity aimed at helping deprived/underprivileged

Question 14

in australia, who provided early welfare

Answer 14

churches

Question 15

what are the contemporary roles of churches in Australian welfare

Answer 15

• employment services, aged care, hospitals, education, emergency relief
• chaplains in schools

Question 16

what are arguments FOR private charity

Answer 16

• charity supplements the state and sometimes takes the lead to address gaps

Question 17

what are arguments against state provision?

Answer 17

• state is impersonal
• state is wasteful as use of private donations more scrutinised
• state crows out spontaneity of private charity

Question 18

what should the role of the state be in private charity?

Answer 18

• regulate economic conditions so that every person livelihood by labour
• have charge of extreme forms of distress (virulent disease/natural disasters)
• co-operate with voluntary charitable agencies (principle of subsidiarity)

Question 19

arguments against private charity?

Answer 19

• insufficient to address real need
• inconsistent with notion of equal rights through citizenship
• fails to recognise state and public welfare/wellbeing given to rest of society and the wealthy
• corporations and wealthy should pay appropriate taxes

Question 20

19th/20th century, what led to variations of welfare states in europe, australasia and northern america?

Answer 20

gradual domination of liberalism over conservatism and radicalism

Question 21

what is liberalism

Answer 21

• belief that politics aims to preserve individual rights and maximise freedom of choice
• retains faith in possibilities of improvement in present social conditions

Question 22

liberalism was developed in a time when?

Answer 22

new social realities were being discovered; the economy, society

Question 23

what domains does liberalism believe should not be interfered with by government

Answer 23

• economy and market
• civic society; community
• family
• church/ religion
• guilds and trade unions

Question 24

how does liberalism feel about welfare

Answer 24

• best that state leaves people to themselves
• individual liberty and freedom
• self responsibility and sufficiency
• choice/ free markets
• intervene only when there is failure
• allow freedom of movement and prices (abolish settlement act)

Question 25

relationship between liberalism and social policy?

Answer 25

• development of collective self-help (mutual aid & trade unions, friendly societies)
• social insurance as ‘liberal’ self-help (but displaces individual savings efforts)
• free market and employment relations

Question 26

what was margaret thatchers opinion on society?

Answer 26

• no such thing as society
• all individuals
• gov cant do anything unless people need help
• responsibility to look after ourselves first and to look after out neighbours

Question 27

examples of progressive policies from liberalism and social policy?

Answer 27

• human rights
• anti discrimination and equal employment opportunity
• gay marriage

Question 28

what is neo-liberalism

Answer 28

• goal of reducing role of state in social and economic affairs
• repeats much of liberalism, but believes markets are fundamentally good
• govs should intervene to create markets
• individuals taking control of their own lives
• denying or not valuing collective actions

Question 29

in the 1930s what did liberalism (esp. free market) lead to?

Answer 29

• great depression
• high levels of inequality
• response was collective government intervention

Question 30

neo-liberalism emerged from 1970s in response to?

Answer 30

• the failure of such macro-responses (great oil crisis, unemployment and inflation)

Question 31

opinions on neo-liberalism and welfare?

Answer 31

• state intervention creates more problems than it solves

- inequalities are natural and should be left as is