Tutorial Responses

Tutorial Responses

2006

WEEK 1

1 . According to Bettina Cass , in to conceptualize welfare in the proper social and political context , it should be defined as state implemented Social protections ' designed to protect individuals from unimpeded market processes and their outcomes (Cass , 1998 , pp . 1 This definition allows for the inclusion of social security , taxation policies related to employment , wages , housing , transportation , health and education to enter into the discussion of the dichotomy between work and welfare . 72

2 . Pierson posits that the well recognized `crisis of the state

' in providing social protections stems not solely from globalization , but rather primarily from forces stemming from the advancement of industrial democracies . These `post-industrial ' changes include lessened growth in productivity associated with the shift from manufacturing to service employment , `growth to limits ' of governmental commitments , growth of an older population , and restructuring of households (Pierson , 2001 , pp 83 . 67

3 . Jamrozic observes that recent political developments have changed the welfare state from a `protective state ' to one that is `enabling facilitating , or social state ' This new conception of welfare is made possible by the reduction of social provisions , a shrinking public sector , entrenched unemployment in certain sections of the labor force and increasing social and economic inequality (Jamrozic , 2005 , pp . 5 61

4 . The ideals of the welfare system are undermined by the underlying values of capitalism . Welfare was successful as a capitalist tool to promote a healthy workforce , but as measures were introduced to redistribute wealth and combat effects of market activities , welfare became more burdensome than beneficial to capitalism . As a result market pressures such as globalization has led political rationalizations for cutting welfare that include increasing investment capital and decreasing dependency upon these services (Ibid , pp . 7 . 77

5 . The perception that welfare is essentially at odds with free market capitalism has led to the term `post-welfare state ' wherein , according to Jamrozic , philosophy , theory and interests are leveraged against politicians to accomplish revisions in welfare policies (ibid , pp 5 The philosophies and the interests which have made the most progress are those advocating a free market and reduction or elimination of welfare for those who have not benefited from the free market (Ibid , pp 8 . 76

Week2

In the 1800s the state role was to create a moral community that bound all its members in a common aim to promote their common welfare (Shapiro , pp 31 ) Yet after the industrial revolution , voters changed the state role from protection of common welfare to protection of common access to a free market . Private interests and individual agency did force the state to step in to improve factories and subsidize public projects (Ibid , pp 35 . 75

For Smith , the state role is to let man help his nation by building profit (Smith , 1776 , pp 112

To Ricardo a free market will result in workers using their best skill with naturally available materials (Ricardo , 1958 , pp . 132

To Malthus , labor population is controlled by vice , misery , disease and moral restraint (Malthus , 1958...