Public Assistance Eligibility and the Well-Being of Poor People in China

ABSTRACT

This study adopted content analysis to examine policy papers concerning the eligibility requirements of the Minimum Living Standard Scheme (MLSS) in China's 31 capital cities. It was found that local officials not only assess applicants’ assets and incomes, but also their living space, quality of home decoration, possession of luxury goods, leisure activities, and behavior. The local governments’ use of a lifestyle assessment approach is caused by financial constraints and the lack of an effective mechanism to check applicants’ incomes. The lifestyle approach leads to regional inequalities in accessing public assistance, because some of the terms, which define the quality of life, are too ambiguous. The lifestyle approach, which requires applicants to live in very poor living conditions and also demonstrate their hardship to local officials, will be a barrier preventing poor people from being integrated into their communities. This study suggests that the key words and terms in the policy documents need to be clearly explained and similar criteria should also be adopted across different regions. It also proposes that the gap between MLSS eligibility criteria in the policy papers and their actual implementation requires further study in order to understand the impact of special local factors and the quality of life of poor people in China.     

Toward universal,progressive, and lifelong asset building: introduction to the special issue on inclusive child development accounts

ABSTRACT

Child Development Accounts (CDAs) are subsidised savings or investment accounts that enable families to accumulate assets to invest in children’s long-term development. Ideally, CDAs are universal (everyone participates), progressive (greater subsidies for the poor) and lifelong (beginning at birth). This introduction provides a theoretical and policy background of CDAs in the global context, summarises seven papers in this volume and creates a vision for future CDA development.     

Individual and Family Strategies of Beneficiaries of Minimum Income Schemes. A Qualitative Inquiry

ABSTRACT

This article studies the strategies of the users of the Minimum Income Scheme in Spain from a review of the theoretical perspective of the accumulation of assets, developed for the study of the dynamics of poverty and exclusion in other contexts. For this purpose, the analysis of the oral testimonies of the subjects interviewed is used. From the analysis of the biographical narratives of the subjects, a typology of strategies of accumulation of assets is constructed. This analysis serves as a basis for an assessment of the adequacy between the design of this social policy and the practices, perceptions and expectations of individuals who perceive it.     

An empirical analysis of monetary and multidimensional poverty: evidence from a household survey in Pakistan

ABSTRACT

The present study computes multidimensional poverty and compares it with unidimensional estimates of poverty for the district of Mandi Bahuddin in the Punjab province of Pakistan for the years 2010 and 2014. By employing the Foster, Greer and Thorbecke (FGT) and Alkire-Foster Methods, the incidence, severity and depth of unidimensional and multidimensionality poverty was estimated. We found an increase in absolute and relative poverty levels in 2014 as compared to 2010. The multidimensional poverty in terms of household assets has also increased over time. However, the relative proportion of educational and health poverty towards MPI remains higher, thereby calling for a holistic approach to identify multidimensional poverty in the social sector. A comprehensive policy dossier needs to be framed for designing effective poverty alleviation and social welfare programmes in the Punjab, Pakistan.     

Examining Cost Fulfillment: Child Care Policy and Strategies

ABSTRACT

Most advanced industrialized countries have established social support to aid families in balancing productive and reproductive labor during child-bearing years. Secondary data analysis was used to examine patterns of public support for low-income working families. Key findings highlight four types of policy strategies (Conservative, Limited, Average, and Universal) suggesting differentiated social citizenship opportunities based on place of residence. This research highlights how a complex policy environment contributes to unintended consequences as the working poor are exposed to child care and employment instability. Future research should consider how the policy environment contributes to material well-being in families during the life course.     

Assessing the Effects of an Asset-Building Program in Resource-Constrained Households: The Case of Sub-Saharan Africa

ABSTRACT

Using a survey that was administered individually to respondents at set locations, this study examines the effects of participation in an asset-building program in resource-constrained households in rural Ghana (n = 120 in the experimental group and n = 120 in the comparison group). Results suggest the program is effective in reaching the most economically vulnerable households. We also learned that program participation was related to ownership of social assets, as well as psychosocial and financial well-being. Program characteristics, including trust among members and time spent on program-related activities, were related to enhanced social and financial assets, respectively. A number of implications emerge from this study. Given that the program, although effective in reaching the most economically vulnerable households, did not produce significant outcomes in such households, attention may be devoted to understanding ways to enhance the welfare of vulnerable program participants. A targeted approach may be a viable option. With respect to policy, consideration could be given to incorporating microfinance models in poverty alleviation strategies. Continued research using more rigorous design is needed to explore the relationship between microfinance and the welfare of vulnerable participants.     

Asset poverty in Korea: Levels and composition based on Wolff's definition

Kim K‐S, Kim YM. Asset poverty in Korea: levels and composition based on Wolff's definition The main purpose of the study was to lay the groundwork for establishing a more effective asset‐building policy through accurate measurement and analysis of the level and composition of the asset‐poor Korean population. We defined four asset poverty lines according to the concepts of basic needs, limited period of time and wealth‐type resources from Wolff's operational definition. The size of the Korean asset‐poor population, when considered from the perspectives of net assets and liquid assets, was found to remain around 12.7–13.2 and 32.8–36.5 per cent respectively. This study suggests that it is necessary to establish a differentiated asset‐building policy by age group and to prepare more realistic alternatives to solve housing problems, while empirically verifying the need for an accurate asset poverty line which reflects the definition of asset poverty.     

A Multivariate Analysis of the Working Poor in Texas: Implications for Policy

ABSTRACT

Social policy makers and researchers in the United States are greatly concerned with the plight of millions of immigrants to the United States. The effects of immigrants on the distribution of services and goods for impoverished segments of the population, especially along southern border-state areas, are currently undergoing scrutiny of policy makers. President George W. Bush has recently recommended sending the National Guard to the southern border to curb illegal migration. There is a strong national sentiment against illegal migration. Many believe that illegal migrants are exploited and, therefore, contribute disproportionately to the growing class of working poor in America. However, their have been limited attempts to link scientifically derived demographic and economic evidence of the causal factors associated with the growth of the working poor, and to develop research methodology and technical means to provide needed and valuable decision-support information for perspective policy makers and service providers. Using census data we attempt to empirically and geospatially look at the factors that contribute to the growth of working poor within the border state of Texas and its counties during 1990–2000.     

The prevalence and composition of asset poverty in Canada: 1999, 2005, and 2012

A household is considered asset poor if its assets (financial assets or net worth, taken separately) are insufficient to maintain well‐being at a low‐income threshold for 3 months. We provide the first national‐level estimates of asset poverty for Canada, using the 1999, 2005, and 2012 cycles of the Survey of Financial Security, and juxtapose these estimates with income poverty. The analysis provides new insight into economic insecurity by showing that asset poverty rates are consistently two to three times higher than income poverty rates. In addition to the prevalence of asset poverty across socio‐demographic groups, we analyzed how the composition of the poor change over time. Age and geography shape the risk for asset poverty in distinct ways. We found that while education appears to play a comparable role in shaping both income poverty and asset poverty, immigration places Canadians at a relatively higher risk of income poverty but not asset poverty. Key Practitioner Message: ? Practitioners ought to consider assets as well as income in assessing economic vulnerability; ? Asset poverty levels are 2–3 times higher than income poverty levels; ? Certain groups (e.g., immigrants) may be income poor but maintain sufficient assets.     

Measuring Support Provisions for People Living With Disabilities in South Asia: An Accessibility Index

ABSTRACT

The terms “empowerment,” “rights,” and “inclusiveness” are now commonly used in public policy, but little emphasis is placed on “accessibility” issues in the integration of disabled people. This article proposes a composite index to measure economic support provisions, such as employment, vocational training, microfinance, and safety nets. The index was tested in a case study (N= 245) of two districts in Pakistan. Results support a “cost/benefit”-based philosophy, rather than the “means–ends” goal, where the disabled poor are viewed as unproductive and risky payers, instead of giving them an opportunity to exercise their potential. Change for the disadvantaged poor can be brought about with the mandatory use of this index in local annual audits. Future research might examine the impact of the index and standardize it for global use.     

Changes of Electoral Politics under the Growing Wealth Gap in East Asia since the Global Financial Crisis: South Korea and China’s Taiwan in Comparison

Abstract

The economic recession caused by the global financial crisis of 2008 affected political change across the world in different ways. Economic and social problems turned into political crises in North Africa. In Europe and America, dissatisfaction over such problems caused social unrest but did not imperil the political order. In East Asia, where competitive party politics have just emerged, the financial crisis sparked a correlative political and economic reaction model involving economic recession—growing wealth gap—public policy transition in electoral politics. Major electoral campaigns over the past five years in China’s Taiwan, the Republic of Korea and other economies in East Asia indicate that prioritizing economic growth and equitable distribution are emerging to be common core issues in different parties’ electoral competition despite remnant historical questions and highly politicized issues. The new electoral politics based on public policy competition has gained greater space for development against the background of an economic recession and a growing wealth gap, and is exerting a profound influence on the political and economic development process in East Asia.     

Appalachian Women: A Study of Resiliency Assets and Cultural Values

ABSTRACT

There is scant literature addressing Appalachian women, their resiliency, and their cultural values. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore what constitutes resiliency for Appalachian women. The following research questions were explored: (a) Are Appalachian values reflected in Appalachian women's perceived resiliency during their school-age years, ages 5–18; and (b) if so, which Appalachian values emerged in these women's external and internal developmental assets? Ten Appalachian women were interviewed and asked to reflect on developmental assets during their school-age years. The study results indicated a relationship between developmental resiliency assets during youth as they corresponded with nine Appalachian values. The results indicate that Appalachian women's cultural values foster their strengths and resilience. This study supports the significance of practitioners acknowledging the importance of cultural values in counseling strategy. Implications and suggestions for future research are suggested     

Case Management in the Law Office

Abstract

This study examines the assumption that including Black-Americans with larger samples of White-Americans produce an accurate picture of the predictors of nursing home use by Black-Americans. Using the Longitudinal Study of Aging (1984-1990), Cox proportional hazard models are estimated for Black-Americans and White-Americans. This study finds that in fact the models for Black-Americans are not the same as for White-Americans. For Black-Americans, living below the poverty line, problems of functional status, age, and not having the potential for care for a few weeks from relatives (in or out of the home) are predictive of a higher risk of nursing home use while, for White-Americans, age, lower versus higher income, being female versus male, poor evaluation of self health care, poor functional status, lower levels of community activity, and living alone compared to living with a spouse or children were predictive of a higher risk of nursing home admission. The implications for policy and case management practice are discussed regarding these findings.     

Research Note: Managing the Financial Assets of Older People: Balancing Independence and Protection

Family involvement in managing the financial assets of olderpeople is an area of policy and practice importance. This importancerelates to the complexity of older people’s assets, systemsof paying for care and concerns around substitute decision-makingand financial abuse. Although a common task of informal care,little is known about older people’s experiences and wishesin relation to asset management. This paper reports on a qualitativestudy of the experiences and perspectives of thirty-four olderpeople receiving such assistance. It identifies three scenariosthat promote or inhibit independence in this context and drawsout the challenges for this emerging area of practice with olderadults and their families.     

Social Workers and Policy- Practice: The Role of Social and Professional Values

ABSTRACT

Although policy practice is regarded as an essential component of social work, the actual involvement of social workers in policy practice is apparently very limited. This article presents the findings of a study that seeks to explore the role of social and professional values in support by social workers in Israel for engagement in policy practice and their actual involvement in this type of practice. The findings indicate that socioeconomic orientations and professional values have an impact on social worker's perception of policy practice and the degree to which they are actually involved in the social welfare policy process. In particular, it was found that attitudes toward social justice played a major role in the social worker's perceptions of, and involvement in, policy practice.     

Health Policy in the Asian NIEs

This paper compares the health policies of Hong Kong, South Korea, Singapore and Taiwan with the purpose of drawing policy lessons. The study finds two distinct policy clusters: Hong Kong and Singapore on the one hand, and Korea and Taiwan on the other. With respect to provision of health care, the former rely largely on public hospitals for delivering inpatient care while the latter rely on private hospitals. In matters of financing, they are similar in that out‐of‐pocket is a major source of financing in all four countries. However, they are also different because Korea and Taiwan have universal health insurance while the city states do not. The study concludes that public provision of hospital care, as in Hong Kong and Singapore, yields more favourable outcomes than many mainstream economists would have us believe. Conversely, private provision in combination with social insurance, as found in Korea and Taiwan, severely undermines efforts to contain health care costs.     

Achievements,experiences and challenges: The 30-year development of social policy in China

ABSTRACT

This paper provides a brief summary of China’s social policy in the last three decades by dividing it into two significant stages. It analyses the different policy orientations and concrete measurements in the two stages. According to the author, the changes and development of China’s social policy in the last three decades were, to a large extent, responses to the economic transition and the current socio-economic conditions. In the first stage, China’s social policy had to keep a low social welfare level to support the labour-intensive and foreign-trade oriented economic model in the 1990s. In the second stage, it had turned more to solve serious social problems and responded to the new economic and social challenges. After the fast development of almost two decades, China’s social policy is still facing big challenges. Several important issues for further social policy development are discussed in this paper.     

Governing universal health insurance in Korea and Taiwan

This article examines policy responses to the rising costs of healthcare in the Republic of Korea and Taiwan from a governance perspective. It tries to answer why the two countries responded differently to a similar set of challenges facing their National Health Insurance (NHI). While Taiwan – in an attempt to contain costs – introduced a global budgeting system, Korea failed to do so. Governments in both countries attempted to establish a new mode of governance, bringing multiple stakeholders to health policy making in order to build social consensus. But the Korean government, as this article shows, could not resolve its policy deadlock because of a loss of trust between the government and the medical profession, caused by the separation reform of 2001. Even though Taiwan was better able than Korea to address the financial challenges of its NHI, the new mode of health governance is still on shaky ground. This article argues that because neither government now enjoys the exclusive power over health policy that they once did under the developmental state, it is essential to find a way in which different stakeholders can make the necessary compromises that will enable the NHI to run on a sustainable path for the future.     

积极承接台资产业转移 建设南宁区域性加工制造业基地

近几年来,桂台经贸合作日益增强,合作项目不断增多,合作领域不断扩大,发展潜力得到释放。南宁市所拥有的独特区位优势、优惠政策条件、健全产业支撑和良好综合环境,为邕台经贸合作的发展奠定了坚实的基础,南宁应该在积极承接台资产业转移的基础上,加快南宁市区域性加工制造业基地建设,具体为明确重点,对接产业发展;全力推进,打造承接载体;用好政策,优化承接环境。