Term
| *How did Aristotle define the difference between numerical equality(identical) and proportional equality( merit)? |
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Definition
| Numerical means identical treatment; proportional means distribution by merit. Think uniform grading versus performance-based grading. |
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Term
| *How are preferences for cost-effectiveness versus social effectiveness reflected in conservative (means-testing)and progressive(universal) views of means-testing for social welfare benefits? |
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Definition
| Conservatives favor means-testing for savings; progressives favor universal programs for less stigma. |
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Term
| *What is the difference between the way goods and services are allocated in the social(need) and economic markets(price) of the welfare state? |
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Definition
| Economic markets use price; social markets use need. SNAP gives food help based on need, not money. |
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Term
| *Identify the four sources of social spending in the OECD measure of Net Social Expenditure |
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Definition
(PMTV - Public spending, mandated private spending, tax, voluntary contributions)
Public spending, mandated private spending, tax expenditures, and voluntary contributions. |
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Term
| *What are the differences between conservative(individual) vs. progressive(structural) views of the causes of social problems? |
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Definition
Conservatives blame individual choices; progressives blame structural barriers. This reflects agency versus structure debates. |
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Term
*What are the four fundamental questions (dimensions of choice) that have to be addressed in designing social welfare policies?
(Who, What, Who, Who) |
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Definition
| Who qualifies, what they get, who provides it, and who pays. TANF shows all four. |
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Term
| *How does the US spending on social welfare compare to that of the wealthy Western European countries when measured by the OECD calculation of Gross Public Social Expenditure(near the bottom) versus when measured by the OECD calculation of Net Social Expenditure per capita(near the top), controlling for the purchasing power of different national currencies? |
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Definition
| Gross shows the U.S. near the bottom at 18% GDP. Net per capita shows the U.S. at the top, revealing hidden welfare. |
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Term
| *What are the two ways that TANF (Temporary Assistance to Needy Families) changed the character of eligibility for public assistance? (5yr, 2yr) |
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Definition
Five-year lifetime limits and work required within two years. Shifted from entitlement to temporary help. |
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Term
| *How did Richard Titmuss define social(gov), occupational (employer benefits) and fiscal welfare(tax breaks)? |
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Definition
Social is government programs, occupational is employer benefits, and fiscal is tax breaks. Medicare, 401(k)s, and mortgage deductions are examples.
Trick to remember:
"SOF"
Social = government programs
Occupational = employer benefits
Fiscal = tax breaks |
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Term
| *In what two ways does the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) incentivize work effort? (Phase-in, gradual phase-outs) |
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Definition
| Phase-in adds .45 cents per dollar earned. Gradual phase-out avoids benefit cliffs. Single mothers could earn up to $6000 |
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Term
| *What is the difference between the way income is calculated in the official poverty measure (cash only) and the supplemental poverty measure (adds benefits, subtracts expenses)? |
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Definition
| Official counts cash only. Supplemental adds benefits and subtracts expenses, showing programs work. |
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Term
| *What is the difference between social security systems based on defined benefits(gov ben, gov risk) versus defined contributions(personal account, personal risk)? |
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Definition
| Defined benefit promises specific amounts with government risk. Defined contribution uses individual accounts with personal risk. |
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Term
| *What are tax expenditures(tax deductions, exclusions), and who tends to benefit (higher tax bracket) most from them? |
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Definition
| Deductions, credits, and exclusions tied to tax brackets. Higher brackets save more from mortgage deductions. |
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Term
| *What is the difference between the meritarian(merit distribution) and the egalitarian(identical) views of distributive justice? |
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Definition
| Egalitarian means identical treatment; meritarian means distribution by merit or contribution. |
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Term
| *What did Alexis de Tocqueville describe as the major difference between the initial impulse of the Americans(voluntary) and the French(state) in response to dealing with social needs? |
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Definition
| Americans formed voluntary societies for social needs; the French used state intervention. This volunteer approach explains American uniqueness but creates unequal services. |
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Term
| *What was T. H Marshall’s explanation for the development of the welfare state? (CPS- civil 18th, Political 19th, Social 20th) |
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Definition
| Citizenship rights evolved through civil (18th century), political (19th), and social (20th) rights. Welfare became a citizenship right rather than charity. |
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Term
| *What are the three basic principles of the English poor law? (LCW - Local, Child, work) |
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Definition
| Local responsibility, child training, and work requirements. These ideas still shape today's deserving versus undeserving poor distinctions. |
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Term
| *What are the three basic elements in the analytic approach to social welfare policy in this course? (ACV- analysis, choices, values) |
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Definition
| Analysis, choices, and values. EITC shows how technical decisions reflect political values about work. |
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Term
| *How do Galbraith’s(fake wants) argument about the “dependence effect” and Buchanan’s theory (politician's special interest) of “public choice” differ in terms of their implications for increased government spending? Explain why. |
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Definition
| Galbraith said advertising creates fake wants, justifying spending. Buchanan said politicians serve special interests, causing government failure. |
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Term
| *Why did Hayek argue that the "Dependence Effect"(socially shaped) was a non sequitur? |
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Definition
| All wants beyond survival are socially shaped. You cannot separate real needs from created ones. |
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Term
| *What was the objective of the Speenhamland Act of 1795(supplemental wages - bread), and what were its outcomes according to most analysts? |
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Definition
| Supplemented wages to bread-price minimums. Allegedly depressed wages, though modern research debunks this. |
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Term
| *What is the difference between the institutional(universal right) and the residual(temporary) view of social welfare? |
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Definition
| Institutional views welfare as a universal right; residual views it as a temporary safety net. Social Security versus TANF. |
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Term
| *Did the conservative economist, Milton Friedman, support the provision of a guaranteed income through a negative income tax? What was his reason? (Cash over bureaucracy, tax system efficiency) |
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Definition
| Yes. He wanted cash over bureaucracy, maximum choice, and tax system efficiency. |
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Term
| *What is the difference between a Universal Basic Income(everyone) and a Negative Income Tax (tax threshold)that provides a guaranteed annual income? |
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Definition
| UBI pays everyone unconditionally; NIT pays through tax only below thresholds. |
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Term
| What do the Poor Law Reform of 1834 and TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) have in common? (work-based morals, personal responsibility) |
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Definition
| Both require work based on moral beliefs. Both shift focus from rights to personal responsibility. |
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Term
| What is “regulatory welfare?” (gov requirements, private company) |
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Definition
| The government requires private companies to provide benefits through rules, not spending. The ACA employer mandate is welfare that never shows up in budgets. |
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Term
| What is the difference between a refundable tax credit (beyond tax owed) and a non-refundable tax credit(reduces tax)? |
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Definition
Refundable pays beyond tax owed; non-refundable only reduces tax to zero. Refundable gives cash back.
Trick to remember:
Refundable = Real money back (like a Refund check)
Non-refundable = No money back, Nothing beyond zero |
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Term
| What is the difference between market income(wages only) and disposable household income(adds benefits, subtracts taxes)? |
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Definition
| Market income is wages only. Disposable income adds benefits and subtracts taxes. |
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Term
How was the emergence of the welfare state seen from a Marxist perspective?(individual responsibility)
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Definition
| U.S. welfare emphasizes individual responsibility through employer benefits, reflecting weak labor and racial divisions. |
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Term
| Why has welfare sometimes been described as a “poverty trap” (benefit loss) |
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Definition
Earning more causes benefit losses exceeding wage gains when multiple programs phase out. |
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Term
| How do agency(individual) and structure(systemic) explain the cause of poverty? |
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Definition
| Agency blames individual choices; structure blames systemic barriers like discrimination. |
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Term
| When it comes to education, conservative(voucher) and progressive(public) preferences tend to differ in regard to the nature of the social provision. Explain the difference and the reason for it. |
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Definition
| Conservatives prefer vouchers for choice; progressives favor public funding, reflecting commodity versus public good. |
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Term
| What conflicting objectives does a capitalist society deal with when mixing welfare services with the market economy? (MPC - Markets, profits, choice), (WNA - Welfare-need & access) |
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Definition
| Markets prioritize profit and choice; welfare prioritizes need and access. For-profit prisons maximize revenue, not rehabilitation. |
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Term
| If there is no evidence that a social program is effective, some would say that it should be continued because even if we can’t prove it’s beneficial, “doing something is better than nothing– “if only one child is saved …” What is the counterargument? (Opportunity cost matters) |
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Definition
Opportunity costs matter. Money wasted on bad programs could fund proven ones like teacher training. |
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Term
| How was the development of the welfare state explained by the theory of technological determinism (Industrialization - common risk) ? |
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Definition
| Industrialization creates common risks requiring similar responses, like pensions, but downplays politics. |
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Term
| How is the 1662 Law of Settlement reflected in today’s challenging social welfare policy dilemmas? (residency& restrictions) |
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Definition
| Residency requirements persist in state rules and immigrant restrictions, creating local versus national tensions. |
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Term
| Technical monopoly(single producer) and paternalism (unable to protect) are two conditions used to justify government intervention in a capitalist society. Explain these conditions. |
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Definition
| Technical monopoly means single producers are efficient like utilities. Paternalism protects those unable to decide. |
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Term
| What are two reasons that explain the gap between eligibility for and use of benefits or services? (complex, stigma) |
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Definition
| Complex applications and stigma create barriers. SNAP shows 80% participation despite full eligibility. |
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Term
| Why is the most accurate measure of social welfare spending as a percentage of a nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) a weak indicator of welfare state generosity? |
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Definition
| Higher spending may reflect problems rather than generosity. Ignores indirect expenditure and efficiency. |
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Term
| The US has been described as the stingiest welfare state based on the OECD gross measure of direct social spending. Is this correct? Why? |
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Definition
| Appears stingy at 18% GDP but ranks higher including tax breaks and employer benefits. |
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Term
| How can the regulatory power of government be used to provide a social welfare benefit? (gov - min wage, employ ins., no money spent) |
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Definition
| Government mandates minimum wage and employer insurance without direct spending, shifting costs privately. |
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Term
| How did the welfare reform of 1996 affect the eligibility of documented immigrants arriving after 1996 for welfare benefits such as SSI, Food Stamps, and TANF? |
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Definition
| Barred post-1996 immigrants from SSI, Food Stamps, and TANF for five years. |
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Term
| What were the economic developments during the periods of growth and maturation of the US welfare state? |
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Definition
| New Deal from the Depression, War on Poverty in the 1960s-70s doubled spending, 1990s emphasized markets. |
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Term
| Under the 1972 amendments to the Social Security Act, which three categories of public assistance programs were consolidated under the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program? |
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Definition
| Old-Age Assistance, Aid to the Blind, and Aid to the Disabled for deserving poor. |
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Term
| Some people say that welfare can create a moral hazard in that welfare benefits may sometimes provide an incentive for the very circumstances they are seeking to ameliorate. What is an example? |
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Definition
| Welfare provides income without work, potentially discouraging employment despite limited evidence. |
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Term
| What are the three characteristics on which the earned income tax credit is calculated? |
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Definition
| Earned income level, number of qualifying children, and marital status. |
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Term
| How does life expectancy affect how different groups benefit from social security? |
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Definition
| Longer-lived collect more years. White women collect sixteen years versus Black men's seven. |
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Term
| Under the US social security system, how is the dependent’s benefit calculated, and to whom is it unfair? |
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Definition
| Non-working spouse gets 50% additional regardless, disadvantaging dual-earner couples. |
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Term
| In the cash versus care debate, why are some feminist groups opposed to the cash option? |
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Definition
| Cash reinforces women as caregivers, reducing workforce attachment and rolling back equality gains. |
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Term
| How did the responses to COVID-19 impact the future prospects of public education? |
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Definition
| Remote learning exposed digital divides. Low-income students fell behind, potentially accelerating privatization. |
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Term
| What is the thesis of American exceptionalism as it applies to the modern welfare state? |
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Definition
| U.S. emphasizes individual responsibility through employer benefits and tax subsidies, creating hidden welfare. |
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Term
| Two reasons why a fundamental understanding of social welfare policy is important for direct service social workers? |
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Definition
| Understanding eligibility secures client resources; recognizing policy values enables systemic advocacy. |
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Term
| What are the three social protection goals for the welfare state and the three forms of social welfare policy that correspond to these goals? (EMS- Economic security, Material sufficiency, Service Access) |
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Definition
| Economic security via Social Security, material sufficiency via SNAP, and service access via universal education. |
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Term
| What is the difference between compensation and diagnostic differentiation as principles for allocating social welfare benefits? (Harm, inequality) |
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Definition
| Compensation is allocated based on harm needing redress; diagnostic allocation is made by categories without addressing inequality. |
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Term
| Why is the trend toward assortative mating likely to increase income inequality? |
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Definition
| People partner with similar status. Two doctors earn $400K versus two retail workers earn $60K. |
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Term
| What are three differences between the characteristics of those in the top income quintile and the bottom income quintile? |
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Definition
| The top has larger households, 75% have two-plus earners, versus 60% bottom have zero, the top is prime working-age. |
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Term
| What are two of the reasons to be skeptical about what the official U.S. measure of poverty is measuring? |
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Definition
| Excludes benefits, uses an outdated formula, and ignores geography. Bottom spends 200% of reported income. |
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