Journal for Unit One (Sessions 1-3)
I read the History of the American Social Security System, a brief Overview of the Unit, Competencies and Outcomes, the required readings of Chapter 1 and pages 111-124 (which ended up being the wrong page numbers as I spoke verbally over the phone with the professor), read and summed up the Power Point lecture in my own words, viewed the two videos of FDR Fireside: On the Social Security Act, and the History of Social Security.
Power Point Lecture Summary
The Power Point lecture described numerous things. For example: What social insurance and public assistance is used for, what the Social Security Act created, plans of the states and other cities before the Great Depression and World War I, what the OASI stood for, other factors of Social Security (e.g. Federal Disability Insurance, Health & Unemployment), and the percentage of who is covered. Some facts of how many workers paid taxes, how many Americans collected benefits, the total benefits paid of the year 2009, how Social Security expanded by the Disability Insurance, the year Medicare was adopted, and the year of the cost of living adjustments. Other information included: what trust funds does, the retirement of baby boomers and smaller families, the goals of Social Security (Adequacy, Equity, and Efficiency), minority groups receive the smallest retirement plan or payout, women living in poverty, private pension plans, the definitions of benefit plans and contribution plans, temporary income of unemployment through the Social Security Act, people’s entitlements of using up their full benefits, and lastly, what the worker’s compensation provides for the job-related illnesses and injuries.
Videos Summaries
1st Video (Government Social Security/Social Security Scheme/History of Social Security):
Social Security was signed in 1935 by President Delano Roosevelt, was designed as a Safety Net for Americans whom experienced the Great Depression, went in effect in 1937 with Social Security getting only 2% in worker’s wages, was expanded to provide benefits to worker’s dependents and its spouses in 1939 and was expanded to jobs (Industry and Commerce) benefit levels of increase in 1950. In 1956, Disability Insurance was created, early retirement of the age of 62 for women was inactive, early retirement of the age of 61 was inactive in 1991., the cost of living and Social Security checks were legislative in the law in 1972, the Social Security trustees pronounced that Social Security was sound in 1977, and there was a response to Social Security on the erge of the bankruptcy reform legislation in which it was passed in 1983. The taxing structure of $1 in and out to pay in advance for the taxing scheme with being paid in and $4 being paid out, was the remaining $1 to be invested and saved for today’s retirees of $78 million Baby Boomers. The Social Security trust fund held $25 billion in Social Security special obligation bonds, IOU debt, and was created when the access $1 is spent on something other than the tenant leaving behind that special obligation bond or IOU. In 1986, Social Security retiree’s cost of living adjustments increased, their $56 million in Social Security of IOUs, and in 1993, taxes of upper end retiree benefits increased by 85%. IOUs today totals out to $378 billion. In 1997, Social Security will begin running out of money, the presidential advisory board feels that will start in 2012, and the Social Security will be increased by 50% while benefits cut by 30%.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n060oLc2-Rk&feature=player_embedded
Americaretoday.com (ACT)
2nd Video (FDR Fireside Chat 7: On the Social Security Act)-April 28, 1935
“The Miller Center of Public Affairs at the University of Virginia – President Roosevelt on the WRP and Social Security Act (Edited). The Annual Conference over the Congress, Congress is formulation legislation. It has made a distinct progress, created a program for the Nation’s welfare, built ships, and the making of a National Policy. The Public thinking principles of Democracy, reestablishment public confidence in private banking, the virtue of commission regulation by the people as a whole, and it is utilized by economic life of the country. (In 1933-March and Inauguration of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt).
http://youtu.be./p2p7AzOiXNF
Full presidential speeches and transcripts at:
http://millercenter.org/scripps/archive/speeches
Social Security Quiz
The Social Security quiz had six questions. I didn’t do too well on this quiz due to thinking that individuals can retire when they’re 65 years old. This is not so by the answer being that it depends on the age the person is born. If anyone is born after 1959, then the Social Security benefits for that person is frozen, which is at age 67. I was shocked to see that everyone who pays taxes on Social Security, 100% comes out of their income. I didn’t know it was this high. Workers, who make a lot of money, have to pay more. Workers, who make less money, pay less. Due to the Social Security being sound on financial footing, this depends on the government of different states. When the government borrows more money, it has to spend less which will tend to make things harder on taxpayers. This means to me that taxpayers will be paying more for taxes and etc. which isn’t fair, but what can a person do about it? It’s out of their hands. It was surprising to me how much a person is self-employed have to pay out to the worker and employer of 12.4%, workers in general pays 5.3% for Social Security retirement benefits, and 0.9% for disability benefits. For the Social Security retirement benefits and for disability benefits, I thought it was much higher than that. It was interesting to learn about when the Social Security Act was first created, which workers it was protected under, and the first check written out to Ms. Ida M. Fuller.
http://money.cnn.com/quizzes/2010/news/social_security_debate/index.html
Discussion Board
There wasn’t a discussion board for the first Unit. Just for students to post that they were “here” and a part of the course.
Bio Website (Weebly.com)
The Weebly.com website was interesting to create. I learned how to add pages and subtitles create a design and add pictures while I gave a description of why I chosen Social Work as a career, I gave my Social Work Experiences from Employment, Volunteer Work, and undergraduate internships. I also had my Assignments posted of my blogs from the quiz, other assignments, my Journal entries, and my Policy Brief. I told many family and friends to check out my website and they were very impressed and wondered how I went about creating it. I commented on six other classmates Weebly.com sites which were also nice.
Chapter One Summary
“Policies are created by formal organizations that prescribe, govern, and routinize the activities of organizations. They govern their functioning, direct activities of their members, shape relations with other organizations, explain how organizations should function in their social, political, and economic environments, standardize decision making, enhance organizational efficiency, and facilitate goal attainment.
Policies are organized by the increasing complexity and pace of organizational life” (Midgley, 2000, p. 3). Policies, employees, and employers try to figure out how to be successful when they encounter different situations. If these employers respond to things in the same way, the efficiency will need to be addressed. Policies are learned through an individual’s experience, as well as are seen in the workplace. Trainings are available to help increase employees knowledge of the job. Goals are defined and decision making is complex but must be done in order for an agency to stay effective. Employers and the administrative board are responsible of keeping the employees aware of the company’s policies. Besides, trainings, activities can be created to also enhance employee’s knowledge. “Administration is known as Implementation, while management refers to the direction or supervision of policy implementation” (p. 3). Even though the administrative board make the ultimate decision of how a policy should be met, the employers have a say so in how the policy should be made. “Policies are used in corporations, universities, religious and nonprofit organizations, hospitals, and government agencies. The government is the largest and most complex of a nation’s organizations. Governments form policies that affect the lives of its citizens from day to day. Governments help shape the economic, social, cultural, environmental, and political affairs. Governments promote economic development, maintain law and order, govern relationships with other countries, defend the nation against external threats, protect the environment, foster communications, and control urban growth. Policies that form and is implemented by the governments are referred to as public policies” (p. 3). These policies are enforced by laws and the government makes sure that people are abiding by these policies.
“The state is used by social scientists to describe to the government and its different branches. People abide by their policies. The state consists of the legislature, executive branch, judiciary, military, law enforcement agencies, many specialized agencies, and quasi-governmental bodies” (p. 4). The legislative branch is makes the policies, executive branch implements the policies, judicial branch interpret the policies, and all three overlaps each other. “Government refers to the administrative branch, state refers to all the branches of government, governments adopt policies to enhance the welfare of its people, and these policies are known as social policies. Social policies includes heath, housing, education, income, used to meet the needs of children, the elderly, single mothers, people with disabilities and
govern the operations of social service agencies responsible for particular social services of social security, school meals, probation, foster care. Social operate through the tax system to direct resources toward the particular groups of people. The courts also play a very important role” (p. 4). “The economic policy ensures growth, development of jobs, managing inflationary tendencies, encouraging investments, and directing the economy in other ways. This is also how economic goals are developed. The documentation, analysis, and interpretation of government policies are among the major preoccupations of legal scholars, organizational experts, and social scientists. They have acquired
extensive knowledge about a wide range of public policies. The academic study of public policies is well established at universities. They are also studied by specialized research institutes or “think tanks” and by government agencies concerned with policy analysis” (p. 5). “Social policy takes place in schools of the department of economics, political science, sociology, social work, and social welfare. These are also take place within the public policies. Social policy connotes an inquiry concerned with the description, explanation, and evaluation. The primary reason of social policy is to enhance the conditions of social well-being in society. Governments can provide services to meet the needs of vulnerable or disadvantaged groups of foster children, low-income families living in inner-city areas, and people with mental illness.
It can direct resources through income maintenance programs of social security, through the tax system, and by controlling pollution or enhancing educational opportunities for children” (p. 6). “Social welfare is defined as the condition or state of human well-being when problems are managed and opportunities are maximized. The opposite of social welfare is social illfare. Social illfare exists when humans needs are not met, social problems are not effectively managed, and when there are very limited opportunities for improving life chances. This is a range of services provided by charities and government social services agencies to poor, needy, and vulnerable people. Social welfare is derived from the term farewell. This greeting connotes a sense of going and being well. Social welfare exist in societies that create and sustain opportunities for people to maximize their life chances and accomplish their goals” (p. 7).
Individuals and their families help one another out when they are living in welfare. Neighbors, relatives, and their local community are a few to name. These are also known as the nonformal welfare institutions. “Some external agents are: churches, mosques, temples, faith-based, secular philanthropic agencies (supplements the role of the family and provide a “safety net” when these individuals and their families are unable to cope with life’s hardships), and faith-based and nonprofit organizations comprise what social policy scholars call formal welfare institutions. The government’s social welfare policies and programs are also considered part of the formal welfare institutions. Individuals involved in the government involvement are: social reformers, trade unionists, and progressive political leaders. Other factors are: industrialization, urbanization, the decline in the extended family, and cultural changes” (p. 8). “Arguments have been made by social welfare advocates of state welfare. Economic growth depends largely on business enterprise and the incentives created by governments has a direct bearing on employment opportunities and incomes on the welfare of individuals and families”(p. 8). “Social welfare may enhance interventions of economic, transportation, environmental, and other policies. Social policy scholars focused on legislation that allocates resources for social welfare programs and creates and authorizes social service programs. The fiscal system and the judicial process affects social welfare. The federal government uses the tax system to subsidize the incomes of low-income workers through the Earned Income Tax Credit and to subsidize mortgages to promote home ownership. Government social policies are authorized, codified, and implemented through legislation; a variety of laws and regulations are used to promote social welfare, to enable agencies to introduce services, change them, and terminate the services” (pp. 9 and 10). “The government’s budget is governed by statute, determines the way a government funds its own social programs, contracts with nonprofit and commercial agencies to provide social services, and the tax system promotes welfare governed by legislation. Governments use budgetary allocations to enhance conditions of social welfare. They are used to fund a great variety of government programs, used to finance income maintenance and support programs, and address the needs of groups of people who have been the concern of the social welfare system. Social services have been used to connote government programs operating in the fields of health, education, housing, income security, and family welfare” (p. 10). “Governments enact laws mandates designed to improve social welfare which is known as statutory regulation. Legislation of this kind is enacted to require employers, homeowners, educational
institutions, commercial firms, hospitals, and others to adopt measures that have a direct impact on social welfare. Housing, health, incomes, employment, and education are shaped by government regulation. Administrative decisions and the use of executive orders by the executive
branch of government may function as a regulatory mechanism and the tax system is known as fiscal welfare” (p. 10). “Christopher Howard (1997) has shown that governments use the tax code to create incentives or disincentives that have a direct impact on social welfare. Tax incentives save for retirement, to create educational accounts for children, to obtain a mortgage to finance the purchase of a home. The government uses the statutory regulation and the tax system to encourage business corporations to provide occupational benefits for their
workers. The commercial and industrial enterprises are known as occupational welfare. Temporary workers and immigrants do not always participate fully in the tax system, they do not usually benefit from these provisions. Scholars believe that both fiscal and occupational welfare benefit from high-families and the middle class” (p. 11).
“Social policies are formulated by elected officials through the legislative process and the policy-making is complicated because the courts,
executive branch, and others are involved. Interest groups in lobbying for or against a particular policy should be recognized. Interest groups exert a great deal of pressure on politicians. These groups are active in seeking to influence business lobbies, professional associations, trade unions, nonprofit groups, state and municipal governments, and local communities. They use personal contacts, campaign funding support, and electoral pressures to achieve their goals, and may be represented by professional lobbyists. The media and editorial opinion influences policy making as well” (pp. 11 and 12). Academic and research staff of foundations and think tanks contribute to social policy formulation. Civil servants and professional government staff both share their experiences and knowledge with politicians. Social policy making is a technical, rational activity designed to produce the best policy that maximizes efficiency in the attainment of policy goals.
These policy makers may aspire to be rational and efficient, but they cannot ignore the influence of many interest groups and constituencies in the policy-making process. Civil servants, planners, other government officials, and commercial firms affect the implementation of policies” (p. 12). “Social policies and programs may have contradictory goals and effects and “hidden” or unstated goals. The exclusion of immigrants from receiving social welfare benefits is of the use of social policy to diminish the welfare of a particular group of people. The Personality Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (referred as the welfare reform legislation) has the stated goal of ending welfare dependency by promoting work among those who benefits, thereby promoting self-sufficiency and lifting them out of poverty. One hidden goal is simply to reduce the number of people receiving benefits. The number of people receiving income benefits has declined by well over 60% since the mid-1990s” (pp. 12 and 13). “Factors of the normative theory in social policy are the interests of different economic, political, cultural groups, and the way the governments exert social control of people and respond to sectional interests. Policy scholars recognized the role of ideological beliefs and values in social policy, and the ways ideologies and normative theories influence social
policy formulation and implementation. Social policy emerged as a distinct field of academic inquiry about 50 years ago” (p. 13).
“Although utopian writings are dismissed, they inspired social reformers in the 19th century to campaigh for progressive social
change. They influenced the expansion of government involvement in social welfare in the 20th century. The evolution of social policy as a academic field of study was influenced by the idea that scientific principles should be adopted to study social welfare issues” (p. 14). “Early pioneers of the study, such as the 19thcentury French mathematician Auguste Comte believed that scientific methods could be applied not only to explain natural phenomena but to analyze and improve social conditions. Comte outlined the basis for a science of society that he called sociology. He argued that the science of sociology should explain not only how societies function but also how they can be improved. The belief that scientific methods should be used to study social phenomena is known as positivism. The idea that social science of sociology should improve social conditions is known as the normative approach” (p. 14). “Although positive and normative approaches are antithetical, Comte believed they were compatible. He is regarded one of the founders of sociology. The use of scientific methods was fostered by the employment of the census in Europe in the 19thcentury. The census permitted the collection of a large amount of statistical data on social
conditions, and it provided information on which proposals for social reform could be based. The availability of census data was complemented by the findings of early ethnographic studies of the living conditions of low-income workers and poor people” (p. 14). “Formative ethnographic studies resulted in the emergence of the social survey at the end of the 19th century. The survey was used for
the activists to collect information about poverty, to draw attention to social injustice, and to campaign for social reform. The surveys were undertaken by Charles Booth and Seebohm Rowntree in England and by Paul Kellogg in the United States that informed middle-class citizens about the harsh conditions under which poor people lived, engendering a degree of sympathy of their plight. The findings of these surveys were also used by social reformers to pressure governments to take ameliorative action” (p. 14). “Leading reformers such as Beatrice and Sidney Webb in England, Jane Addams and her followers in the United States, made effective use of survey and census data to campaign for progressive social change” (p. 14).
"By the 1930s, social science information was being used in government social policy making. Statistical data about the extent of unemployment and poverty during the Great Depression played a role in the development of New Deal social policies. The results of documented innovations had unemployment insurance statute in Wisconsin in 1932 that was influenced by a group of economists who documented its effects. The research helped persuade the Roosevelt administration that social security could reduce the incidence of poverty among the unemployed, elderly, and other needy groups. The rapid expansion of government social service programs followed the publication of the Beveridge Report in Britain, and played a major role in the creation. In 1950, the London School of Economics (LSE) in England appointed Richard Titmuss to the first professiorial position. The school had been having collaborated with the Charity Organization Society to establish the first social worl training program in Britain in the early years of the 20th century" (p. 15). "Academic leaders believed that the emphasis should be placed on scholarly research than on the professional training of social workers, and on the recommendation of T.H. Marshall, the head of the LSE’s sociology department, a search for a professor with expertise. Titmuss written several books on social issues and was highly respected. He was appointed to the position. Titmuss had a major influence on the subsequent development of social policy as an academic subject. His publications were read, he initated a research agenda that drew international attention, and recruited new faculty whose academic work further enhanced the subject’s reputation. Their publications were read in Britain and in other countries as well, and they exerted considerable influence on politicians and government officials concerned with welfare issues. Their research was important to the British Labour Party" (p. 15). "When the party won the 1964 election, Titmuss and his colleagues played a major role in shaping the government's social policy agenda. His work was aligned with social democratic thinking, and he believed strongly that government should assume responsibility for social welfare. He argued that governments should formulate and implement social policies that address the problems of poverty, social deprivation, and inequality.“In the 1960s and 1970s, many other British universities established interdisciplinary departments of social policy or social administration, as they are known, and many of Titmuss students were recruited to staff these departments. Their approach was largely on the social democratic perspective that Titmuss and his colleagues had adopted at the London School of Economics , and generally most British social policy scholars urged governments to play an active role in promoting the welfare of their citizens. Titmuss’s writings were well received by academics in the United States and began to influence social policy making in America as well. Academic departments to those in Britain have not emerged in the United States” (p. 16).
Many social policy scholars believe that the social policy investigation should be based on scientific research, and should avoid ideological issues. This is developed from the positivist approach. They argue that writings should be facts from government policies if they want to have authority. “British scholars Vic George and Paul Wilding of 1976 analyzed the role of ideology and the field has been vigorous normative debates. The social democratic influence on social policy has waned, and the approach has been challenged by other normative
approaches as of: radical populism, Marxism, critical theory, feminism, multiculturalism, postmodernism, conservatism, and market liberalis (or neoliberalism, as it is commonly known)” (p.17).
Reflection
I have learned a great deal from this Unit. At first when I first seen the amount of material required to be done in less than a week I felt overwhelmed all over again due to two classes still going on. I was trying to finish the last minute work for the Human Behavior and Social Work Practice courses. As I finished, I got with the program. It is a lot of material but not like it was in the other two classes. The workload was ridiculously overwhelming, especially in the Practice course. I gained skills of continuing to have time management skills and not to put my social life on hold so I can complete my work in a timely manner. I’m not a procrastinator and don’t think I ever been. I became more aware of how the Social Security Act was developed, created, and the purpose of it to citizens living in poverty. I became more aware of wanting to help even more and I knew before that Social Security was developed on the basis of the poor and elderly populations. I
wanted to know why the government will not or could not give more money to its citizens, but after taking the quiz, I realized that it is out of the government’s hands. Workers will have a harder time making ends meet themselves by having to pay more money for taxes (things will increase from what they’re paying now). I learned how to create a Blog and Website for the first time and viewed two videos I never seen before that gave me more information on the Social Security Act. I will not forget how to create a future blog or webpage and the most significant factor of how I learned was based on directions, a classmate, and by help from the instructor.
I read the History of the American Social Security System, a brief Overview of the Unit, Competencies and Outcomes, the required readings of Chapter 1 and pages 111-124 (which ended up being the wrong page numbers as I spoke verbally over the phone with the professor), read and summed up the Power Point lecture in my own words, viewed the two videos of FDR Fireside: On the Social Security Act, and the History of Social Security.
Power Point Lecture Summary
The Power Point lecture described numerous things. For example: What social insurance and public assistance is used for, what the Social Security Act created, plans of the states and other cities before the Great Depression and World War I, what the OASI stood for, other factors of Social Security (e.g. Federal Disability Insurance, Health & Unemployment), and the percentage of who is covered. Some facts of how many workers paid taxes, how many Americans collected benefits, the total benefits paid of the year 2009, how Social Security expanded by the Disability Insurance, the year Medicare was adopted, and the year of the cost of living adjustments. Other information included: what trust funds does, the retirement of baby boomers and smaller families, the goals of Social Security (Adequacy, Equity, and Efficiency), minority groups receive the smallest retirement plan or payout, women living in poverty, private pension plans, the definitions of benefit plans and contribution plans, temporary income of unemployment through the Social Security Act, people’s entitlements of using up their full benefits, and lastly, what the worker’s compensation provides for the job-related illnesses and injuries.
Videos Summaries
1st Video (Government Social Security/Social Security Scheme/History of Social Security):
Social Security was signed in 1935 by President Delano Roosevelt, was designed as a Safety Net for Americans whom experienced the Great Depression, went in effect in 1937 with Social Security getting only 2% in worker’s wages, was expanded to provide benefits to worker’s dependents and its spouses in 1939 and was expanded to jobs (Industry and Commerce) benefit levels of increase in 1950. In 1956, Disability Insurance was created, early retirement of the age of 62 for women was inactive, early retirement of the age of 61 was inactive in 1991., the cost of living and Social Security checks were legislative in the law in 1972, the Social Security trustees pronounced that Social Security was sound in 1977, and there was a response to Social Security on the erge of the bankruptcy reform legislation in which it was passed in 1983. The taxing structure of $1 in and out to pay in advance for the taxing scheme with being paid in and $4 being paid out, was the remaining $1 to be invested and saved for today’s retirees of $78 million Baby Boomers. The Social Security trust fund held $25 billion in Social Security special obligation bonds, IOU debt, and was created when the access $1 is spent on something other than the tenant leaving behind that special obligation bond or IOU. In 1986, Social Security retiree’s cost of living adjustments increased, their $56 million in Social Security of IOUs, and in 1993, taxes of upper end retiree benefits increased by 85%. IOUs today totals out to $378 billion. In 1997, Social Security will begin running out of money, the presidential advisory board feels that will start in 2012, and the Social Security will be increased by 50% while benefits cut by 30%.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n060oLc2-Rk&feature=player_embedded
Americaretoday.com (ACT)
2nd Video (FDR Fireside Chat 7: On the Social Security Act)-April 28, 1935
“The Miller Center of Public Affairs at the University of Virginia – President Roosevelt on the WRP and Social Security Act (Edited). The Annual Conference over the Congress, Congress is formulation legislation. It has made a distinct progress, created a program for the Nation’s welfare, built ships, and the making of a National Policy. The Public thinking principles of Democracy, reestablishment public confidence in private banking, the virtue of commission regulation by the people as a whole, and it is utilized by economic life of the country. (In 1933-March and Inauguration of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt).
http://youtu.be./p2p7AzOiXNF
Full presidential speeches and transcripts at:
http://millercenter.org/scripps/archive/speeches
Social Security Quiz
The Social Security quiz had six questions. I didn’t do too well on this quiz due to thinking that individuals can retire when they’re 65 years old. This is not so by the answer being that it depends on the age the person is born. If anyone is born after 1959, then the Social Security benefits for that person is frozen, which is at age 67. I was shocked to see that everyone who pays taxes on Social Security, 100% comes out of their income. I didn’t know it was this high. Workers, who make a lot of money, have to pay more. Workers, who make less money, pay less. Due to the Social Security being sound on financial footing, this depends on the government of different states. When the government borrows more money, it has to spend less which will tend to make things harder on taxpayers. This means to me that taxpayers will be paying more for taxes and etc. which isn’t fair, but what can a person do about it? It’s out of their hands. It was surprising to me how much a person is self-employed have to pay out to the worker and employer of 12.4%, workers in general pays 5.3% for Social Security retirement benefits, and 0.9% for disability benefits. For the Social Security retirement benefits and for disability benefits, I thought it was much higher than that. It was interesting to learn about when the Social Security Act was first created, which workers it was protected under, and the first check written out to Ms. Ida M. Fuller.
http://money.cnn.com/quizzes/2010/news/social_security_debate/index.html
Discussion Board
There wasn’t a discussion board for the first Unit. Just for students to post that they were “here” and a part of the course.
Bio Website (Weebly.com)
The Weebly.com website was interesting to create. I learned how to add pages and subtitles create a design and add pictures while I gave a description of why I chosen Social Work as a career, I gave my Social Work Experiences from Employment, Volunteer Work, and undergraduate internships. I also had my Assignments posted of my blogs from the quiz, other assignments, my Journal entries, and my Policy Brief. I told many family and friends to check out my website and they were very impressed and wondered how I went about creating it. I commented on six other classmates Weebly.com sites which were also nice.
Chapter One Summary
“Policies are created by formal organizations that prescribe, govern, and routinize the activities of organizations. They govern their functioning, direct activities of their members, shape relations with other organizations, explain how organizations should function in their social, political, and economic environments, standardize decision making, enhance organizational efficiency, and facilitate goal attainment.
Policies are organized by the increasing complexity and pace of organizational life” (Midgley, 2000, p. 3). Policies, employees, and employers try to figure out how to be successful when they encounter different situations. If these employers respond to things in the same way, the efficiency will need to be addressed. Policies are learned through an individual’s experience, as well as are seen in the workplace. Trainings are available to help increase employees knowledge of the job. Goals are defined and decision making is complex but must be done in order for an agency to stay effective. Employers and the administrative board are responsible of keeping the employees aware of the company’s policies. Besides, trainings, activities can be created to also enhance employee’s knowledge. “Administration is known as Implementation, while management refers to the direction or supervision of policy implementation” (p. 3). Even though the administrative board make the ultimate decision of how a policy should be met, the employers have a say so in how the policy should be made. “Policies are used in corporations, universities, religious and nonprofit organizations, hospitals, and government agencies. The government is the largest and most complex of a nation’s organizations. Governments form policies that affect the lives of its citizens from day to day. Governments help shape the economic, social, cultural, environmental, and political affairs. Governments promote economic development, maintain law and order, govern relationships with other countries, defend the nation against external threats, protect the environment, foster communications, and control urban growth. Policies that form and is implemented by the governments are referred to as public policies” (p. 3). These policies are enforced by laws and the government makes sure that people are abiding by these policies.
“The state is used by social scientists to describe to the government and its different branches. People abide by their policies. The state consists of the legislature, executive branch, judiciary, military, law enforcement agencies, many specialized agencies, and quasi-governmental bodies” (p. 4). The legislative branch is makes the policies, executive branch implements the policies, judicial branch interpret the policies, and all three overlaps each other. “Government refers to the administrative branch, state refers to all the branches of government, governments adopt policies to enhance the welfare of its people, and these policies are known as social policies. Social policies includes heath, housing, education, income, used to meet the needs of children, the elderly, single mothers, people with disabilities and
govern the operations of social service agencies responsible for particular social services of social security, school meals, probation, foster care. Social operate through the tax system to direct resources toward the particular groups of people. The courts also play a very important role” (p. 4). “The economic policy ensures growth, development of jobs, managing inflationary tendencies, encouraging investments, and directing the economy in other ways. This is also how economic goals are developed. The documentation, analysis, and interpretation of government policies are among the major preoccupations of legal scholars, organizational experts, and social scientists. They have acquired
extensive knowledge about a wide range of public policies. The academic study of public policies is well established at universities. They are also studied by specialized research institutes or “think tanks” and by government agencies concerned with policy analysis” (p. 5). “Social policy takes place in schools of the department of economics, political science, sociology, social work, and social welfare. These are also take place within the public policies. Social policy connotes an inquiry concerned with the description, explanation, and evaluation. The primary reason of social policy is to enhance the conditions of social well-being in society. Governments can provide services to meet the needs of vulnerable or disadvantaged groups of foster children, low-income families living in inner-city areas, and people with mental illness.
It can direct resources through income maintenance programs of social security, through the tax system, and by controlling pollution or enhancing educational opportunities for children” (p. 6). “Social welfare is defined as the condition or state of human well-being when problems are managed and opportunities are maximized. The opposite of social welfare is social illfare. Social illfare exists when humans needs are not met, social problems are not effectively managed, and when there are very limited opportunities for improving life chances. This is a range of services provided by charities and government social services agencies to poor, needy, and vulnerable people. Social welfare is derived from the term farewell. This greeting connotes a sense of going and being well. Social welfare exist in societies that create and sustain opportunities for people to maximize their life chances and accomplish their goals” (p. 7).
Individuals and their families help one another out when they are living in welfare. Neighbors, relatives, and their local community are a few to name. These are also known as the nonformal welfare institutions. “Some external agents are: churches, mosques, temples, faith-based, secular philanthropic agencies (supplements the role of the family and provide a “safety net” when these individuals and their families are unable to cope with life’s hardships), and faith-based and nonprofit organizations comprise what social policy scholars call formal welfare institutions. The government’s social welfare policies and programs are also considered part of the formal welfare institutions. Individuals involved in the government involvement are: social reformers, trade unionists, and progressive political leaders. Other factors are: industrialization, urbanization, the decline in the extended family, and cultural changes” (p. 8). “Arguments have been made by social welfare advocates of state welfare. Economic growth depends largely on business enterprise and the incentives created by governments has a direct bearing on employment opportunities and incomes on the welfare of individuals and families”(p. 8). “Social welfare may enhance interventions of economic, transportation, environmental, and other policies. Social policy scholars focused on legislation that allocates resources for social welfare programs and creates and authorizes social service programs. The fiscal system and the judicial process affects social welfare. The federal government uses the tax system to subsidize the incomes of low-income workers through the Earned Income Tax Credit and to subsidize mortgages to promote home ownership. Government social policies are authorized, codified, and implemented through legislation; a variety of laws and regulations are used to promote social welfare, to enable agencies to introduce services, change them, and terminate the services” (pp. 9 and 10). “The government’s budget is governed by statute, determines the way a government funds its own social programs, contracts with nonprofit and commercial agencies to provide social services, and the tax system promotes welfare governed by legislation. Governments use budgetary allocations to enhance conditions of social welfare. They are used to fund a great variety of government programs, used to finance income maintenance and support programs, and address the needs of groups of people who have been the concern of the social welfare system. Social services have been used to connote government programs operating in the fields of health, education, housing, income security, and family welfare” (p. 10). “Governments enact laws mandates designed to improve social welfare which is known as statutory regulation. Legislation of this kind is enacted to require employers, homeowners, educational
institutions, commercial firms, hospitals, and others to adopt measures that have a direct impact on social welfare. Housing, health, incomes, employment, and education are shaped by government regulation. Administrative decisions and the use of executive orders by the executive
branch of government may function as a regulatory mechanism and the tax system is known as fiscal welfare” (p. 10). “Christopher Howard (1997) has shown that governments use the tax code to create incentives or disincentives that have a direct impact on social welfare. Tax incentives save for retirement, to create educational accounts for children, to obtain a mortgage to finance the purchase of a home. The government uses the statutory regulation and the tax system to encourage business corporations to provide occupational benefits for their
workers. The commercial and industrial enterprises are known as occupational welfare. Temporary workers and immigrants do not always participate fully in the tax system, they do not usually benefit from these provisions. Scholars believe that both fiscal and occupational welfare benefit from high-families and the middle class” (p. 11).
“Social policies are formulated by elected officials through the legislative process and the policy-making is complicated because the courts,
executive branch, and others are involved. Interest groups in lobbying for or against a particular policy should be recognized. Interest groups exert a great deal of pressure on politicians. These groups are active in seeking to influence business lobbies, professional associations, trade unions, nonprofit groups, state and municipal governments, and local communities. They use personal contacts, campaign funding support, and electoral pressures to achieve their goals, and may be represented by professional lobbyists. The media and editorial opinion influences policy making as well” (pp. 11 and 12). Academic and research staff of foundations and think tanks contribute to social policy formulation. Civil servants and professional government staff both share their experiences and knowledge with politicians. Social policy making is a technical, rational activity designed to produce the best policy that maximizes efficiency in the attainment of policy goals.
These policy makers may aspire to be rational and efficient, but they cannot ignore the influence of many interest groups and constituencies in the policy-making process. Civil servants, planners, other government officials, and commercial firms affect the implementation of policies” (p. 12). “Social policies and programs may have contradictory goals and effects and “hidden” or unstated goals. The exclusion of immigrants from receiving social welfare benefits is of the use of social policy to diminish the welfare of a particular group of people. The Personality Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (referred as the welfare reform legislation) has the stated goal of ending welfare dependency by promoting work among those who benefits, thereby promoting self-sufficiency and lifting them out of poverty. One hidden goal is simply to reduce the number of people receiving benefits. The number of people receiving income benefits has declined by well over 60% since the mid-1990s” (pp. 12 and 13). “Factors of the normative theory in social policy are the interests of different economic, political, cultural groups, and the way the governments exert social control of people and respond to sectional interests. Policy scholars recognized the role of ideological beliefs and values in social policy, and the ways ideologies and normative theories influence social
policy formulation and implementation. Social policy emerged as a distinct field of academic inquiry about 50 years ago” (p. 13).
“Although utopian writings are dismissed, they inspired social reformers in the 19th century to campaigh for progressive social
change. They influenced the expansion of government involvement in social welfare in the 20th century. The evolution of social policy as a academic field of study was influenced by the idea that scientific principles should be adopted to study social welfare issues” (p. 14). “Early pioneers of the study, such as the 19thcentury French mathematician Auguste Comte believed that scientific methods could be applied not only to explain natural phenomena but to analyze and improve social conditions. Comte outlined the basis for a science of society that he called sociology. He argued that the science of sociology should explain not only how societies function but also how they can be improved. The belief that scientific methods should be used to study social phenomena is known as positivism. The idea that social science of sociology should improve social conditions is known as the normative approach” (p. 14). “Although positive and normative approaches are antithetical, Comte believed they were compatible. He is regarded one of the founders of sociology. The use of scientific methods was fostered by the employment of the census in Europe in the 19thcentury. The census permitted the collection of a large amount of statistical data on social
conditions, and it provided information on which proposals for social reform could be based. The availability of census data was complemented by the findings of early ethnographic studies of the living conditions of low-income workers and poor people” (p. 14). “Formative ethnographic studies resulted in the emergence of the social survey at the end of the 19th century. The survey was used for
the activists to collect information about poverty, to draw attention to social injustice, and to campaign for social reform. The surveys were undertaken by Charles Booth and Seebohm Rowntree in England and by Paul Kellogg in the United States that informed middle-class citizens about the harsh conditions under which poor people lived, engendering a degree of sympathy of their plight. The findings of these surveys were also used by social reformers to pressure governments to take ameliorative action” (p. 14). “Leading reformers such as Beatrice and Sidney Webb in England, Jane Addams and her followers in the United States, made effective use of survey and census data to campaign for progressive social change” (p. 14).
"By the 1930s, social science information was being used in government social policy making. Statistical data about the extent of unemployment and poverty during the Great Depression played a role in the development of New Deal social policies. The results of documented innovations had unemployment insurance statute in Wisconsin in 1932 that was influenced by a group of economists who documented its effects. The research helped persuade the Roosevelt administration that social security could reduce the incidence of poverty among the unemployed, elderly, and other needy groups. The rapid expansion of government social service programs followed the publication of the Beveridge Report in Britain, and played a major role in the creation. In 1950, the London School of Economics (LSE) in England appointed Richard Titmuss to the first professiorial position. The school had been having collaborated with the Charity Organization Society to establish the first social worl training program in Britain in the early years of the 20th century" (p. 15). "Academic leaders believed that the emphasis should be placed on scholarly research than on the professional training of social workers, and on the recommendation of T.H. Marshall, the head of the LSE’s sociology department, a search for a professor with expertise. Titmuss written several books on social issues and was highly respected. He was appointed to the position. Titmuss had a major influence on the subsequent development of social policy as an academic subject. His publications were read, he initated a research agenda that drew international attention, and recruited new faculty whose academic work further enhanced the subject’s reputation. Their publications were read in Britain and in other countries as well, and they exerted considerable influence on politicians and government officials concerned with welfare issues. Their research was important to the British Labour Party" (p. 15). "When the party won the 1964 election, Titmuss and his colleagues played a major role in shaping the government's social policy agenda. His work was aligned with social democratic thinking, and he believed strongly that government should assume responsibility for social welfare. He argued that governments should formulate and implement social policies that address the problems of poverty, social deprivation, and inequality.“In the 1960s and 1970s, many other British universities established interdisciplinary departments of social policy or social administration, as they are known, and many of Titmuss students were recruited to staff these departments. Their approach was largely on the social democratic perspective that Titmuss and his colleagues had adopted at the London School of Economics , and generally most British social policy scholars urged governments to play an active role in promoting the welfare of their citizens. Titmuss’s writings were well received by academics in the United States and began to influence social policy making in America as well. Academic departments to those in Britain have not emerged in the United States” (p. 16).
Many social policy scholars believe that the social policy investigation should be based on scientific research, and should avoid ideological issues. This is developed from the positivist approach. They argue that writings should be facts from government policies if they want to have authority. “British scholars Vic George and Paul Wilding of 1976 analyzed the role of ideology and the field has been vigorous normative debates. The social democratic influence on social policy has waned, and the approach has been challenged by other normative
approaches as of: radical populism, Marxism, critical theory, feminism, multiculturalism, postmodernism, conservatism, and market liberalis (or neoliberalism, as it is commonly known)” (p.17).
Reflection
I have learned a great deal from this Unit. At first when I first seen the amount of material required to be done in less than a week I felt overwhelmed all over again due to two classes still going on. I was trying to finish the last minute work for the Human Behavior and Social Work Practice courses. As I finished, I got with the program. It is a lot of material but not like it was in the other two classes. The workload was ridiculously overwhelming, especially in the Practice course. I gained skills of continuing to have time management skills and not to put my social life on hold so I can complete my work in a timely manner. I’m not a procrastinator and don’t think I ever been. I became more aware of how the Social Security Act was developed, created, and the purpose of it to citizens living in poverty. I became more aware of wanting to help even more and I knew before that Social Security was developed on the basis of the poor and elderly populations. I
wanted to know why the government will not or could not give more money to its citizens, but after taking the quiz, I realized that it is out of the government’s hands. Workers will have a harder time making ends meet themselves by having to pay more money for taxes (things will increase from what they’re paying now). I learned how to create a Blog and Website for the first time and viewed two videos I never seen before that gave me more information on the Social Security Act. I will not forget how to create a future blog or webpage and the most significant factor of how I learned was based on directions, a classmate, and by help from the instructor.
