Social Welfare Policy Analysis

Social Welfare Policy Analysis

Introduction

Promoting social welfare for the people is naturally a good cause. The concern of the government towards eliminating the problems of its people should be taken in good spirits. However, the economic implications of such plans and policies can certainly not be ignored. Economic costs should be balanced with the social objectives associated with the welfare means. While the needs of the people can certainly not be neglected; a thorough analysis of the changing times needs to be done if welfare should continue for a long time. In this regard, the duty of economists is not easy (Verhovek 2005). He has to foresee the long term effects of each and every welfare policy that his state develops and should inform and assist the government in modifying such plans for collective progress, and prosperity.

History

The earliest modern public welfare system can be traced back to the 1880s when Germany adopted a social welfare policy on a nationwide level through various voluntary groups. However, it was in the 1920 and 1930s that most of the Western countries started implementing similar schemes. Before then, the social welfare system primarily rested on the efforts of individuals, family and community groups and independent charity institutions. In the US, the Civil War gave birth to mass scale relief campaigns and programs that included the American Red Cross, U.S Sanitary Commission and the Freedmen's Bureau. All their activities were directed at assisting the needy segments of the population (Verhovek 2005). The evolution of US cities saw wealthy individuals and other charitable and religious organizations taking part in addressing the troubles of the poor, unemployed, immigrants and the poverty-stricken. By the 19th century, the country had a number of private societies and self-assisting bodies offering social services to the public. Similarly, legal reforms were also introduced throughout the world relating to standards of housing and shelter, child welfare, public healthcare, and work safety and security. Whilst this symbolized the first ever urban reform movement in the US, the European countries implemented public welfare programs focusing on full-employment. These programs were intended to provide citizens with assistance that could help them move towards full employment in the economy.

During the Progressive Era, various charitable organizations initiated their institutional operations in the US. One of the most significant contributions in this regard was that of the American Charity Organization Society (COS). The COS was established in 1977, and sought to assist the immigrants to settle in and to promote the adoption of a self-help aid model amongst the poor and underprivileged. The society targeted welfare in the areas of childcare, employment, skills and development training of poor persons (Toner 2005). This was followed by the movement for settlement housing which too resulted from immigration and industrialization. This movement was geared towards the improvement of the living conditions of the poor and provision of skills training. The workers involved in settlement housing settled amongst these immigrants and poor, and formed a framework to structure these ...