Exploring Neglected Dimensions of Social Policy: The SDW, Fiscal Welfare and the Exemplar of Local Taxation in England

Titmuss's Social Division of Welfare (SDW) thesis is a vitally important but much neglected element of social policy analysis. This article seeks to explore the SDW, with a particular focus on fiscal welfare. Fiscal welfare has been described as forming a hidden welfare state, and while taxation is one of the main ways in which governments affect the lives of citizens, studies of welfare pay remarkably little attention to its impact. Fiscal welfare is examined by using, as an exemplar, local taxation in England, a subject that itself is neglected within social policy. Local taxation in England is of interest because it illustrates the impact of a system of taxation on different groups of citizens, and how this can operate to the benefit of rich over poor citizens. This is because the current system is highly regressive, meaning that those on low and middle incomes spend proportionately more of their income paying the tax than do those on high incomes. What is of further interest is how within the debate about reform of local taxation, concern with regressivity becomes obscured and ceases to be the focus of attention. We are thus provided with an example of how fiscal welfare remains a hidden issue. The article concludes by arguing that social policy analysis needs to move beyond the narrow confines of social welfare and develop a broader understanding of welfare, based on the SDW.     

Effects of Work Incentive Policies and Determinants of the Socioeconomic Status of Welfare Leavers in an Economically Disadvantaged Area

Abstract

This study explores how work incentive policies influence the socioeconomic status of welfare leavers. Logistic and ordinal regression methods were used to analyze 1999 statewide survey data on West Virginia WORKS leavers. This study found that people who had more months of eligibility remaining for TANF were more likely to have jobs than those with fewer months of eligibility. People who had been sanctioned for noncompliance with work requirementswere less likely to have jobs than those who had not been sanctioned. However, childcare assistance had a significant influence on the employment of welfare leavers. EITC was significantly associated with the expectation of high economic status. Policy implications are discussed.     

Spirituality and child welfare reunification: a narrative analysis of successful outcomes

When children are removed from their families because of maltreatment, the child welfare system seeks reunification whenever possible. Despite the importance of this goal, little is known about families who are able to achieve and maintain successful reunification. This qualitative study conducted in‐depth interviews with 15 families who completed their child welfare case plans, were reunited with their children and remained together for at least 1 year post‐reunification. Narrative analysis using a combination of thematic and structural coding was completed to examine the strengths and process families discussed related to their successful child welfare outcomes. This paper discusses one of those strengths, spirituality, in greater depth. Specifically, 12 participants situated the strength of spirituality within their stories as an important narrative element they perceived as critical, leading to important changes. Findings highlight the benefits some families receive from their spiritual beliefs, practices and faith communities when working towards reunification, suggesting child welfare practitioners be prepared to identify and honour this family strength.     

论西夏的司法制度

西夏的行政、军事机关,一般都兼有案件审判和督察复核职责。司法诉讼主要为刑事诉讼,即使民事案件,也是用刑事判断。对人犯的逮捕只需长官的指令,而不履行法律手续。法律上只有对逮捕人的督察,防其奸伪、贪纵、暴掠以及无故杀伤人犯,人犯拒捕反抗格杀勿论。     

论中国历史上的北方民族政权:以辽、西夏、金、元四朝为重点

古代北方民族,常常形成实力强大的集团,对中国历史的全局产生重大影响。在国家政治组织层面上,征服王朝既采纳了一些汉法,又掺入了不少原先政权的制度因素,这样的结合导致了真正的君主专制。女真人政权的合法性得到境内大多数汉族知识阶层人士的认同,蒙古人的元朝则有些逊色。辽、西夏、金、元等王朝非汉族的统治,并没有改变汉地社会、经济、文化的基本面貌,它们的影响主要是政治上的。     

基于社会福利视角的青藏高原公共服务问题初探

文章在对现存关涉青藏高原公共服务问题研究进行思考和整合的基础上,试图从社会福利的角度,对具有浓厚区域文化特色的藏区农牧民公共服务,提出一些新的思考维度。具体分析青藏高原公共服务所面临的机遇和挑战,涉及了人口增长、环境恶化与老龄化、国际政治影响、藏传佛教文化的影响、农牧区社会保障制度的空白、家庭保障和社会互助的补充性等问题。文章建议通过构建非缴费型农牧区养老保险模式、构建覆盖所有农牧民健康保障制度、建立农牧区救助机制三个层面来构建新型的青藏高原福利体系。     

陆荣廷政权在边疆民族经济融合进程中运用的政府和民间两种力量

陆荣廷为首的桂系集团是一个复杂的政治群体,对其历史作用应进行多元化评价。他们利用政府和民间两种力量清除了部分落后的社会政治制度和邪恶势力,扩大了近代经济制度和社会经济组织的影响,在一定程度上奠定了广西新的政治和经济格局。同时推动了边疆民族经济融合的程度进一步加深。     

福利国家为什么需要慈善部门？

自福利国家陷入危机以来,慈善部门在福利国家中的功能问题一直没有得到全面和系统的讨论。福利多元主义者将慈善部门视为政府的合作伙伴,希望通过政府委托慈善部门提供公共服务的方式来缓解福利国家的危机;新自由主义者则认为这一定位会使慈善部门对政府的资金产生依赖,使慈善部门失去独立性,因而主张以市场化的方式来解决国家的福利供给问题,让慈善部门在公共服务以外的领域发挥作用。辨析福利多元主义与新自由主义的争论,结合全球化时代慈善部门出现的新特征,可以看到,慈善部门在福利国家中具有绩效提升、结构补充、价值倡导、民主促进、就业吸收和国际支援等六大功能。     

隐性财务契约与企业价值关系研究

知识经济时代,以关系资本、客户资本、声誉资本等为代表的隐性财务资本对企业价值的贡献度越来越大.针对现有文献对隐性财务契约的研究空白,本文在系统归纳、梳理国内外文献基础上,探究了隐性财务契约的基本思想、研究模型、构成要素、驱动系统等,并分别从隐性债务契约、隐性股权契约、隐性福利薪酬契约三个视角对隐性财务契约和企业价值的关系进行了深入的分析探讨.研究表明:隐性债务契约可能与企业价值正相关有助于提升企业价值,也可能与企业价值负相关无助于提升企业价值;隐性股权契约是一种基于财务控制权配置的激励约束机制,这种激励约束机制使得隐性股权契约与企业价值创造正相关;隐性消费方式在影响隐性福利报酬契约履行度的同时进一步影响到企业价值的创造.上述研究结论为深入理解隐性财务契约与企业价值的关系奠定了理论基础.     

可行能力与农民工的福利状况评价

基于辽宁省沈阳市农民工调查数据,应用森的可行能力理论和模糊数学方法对农民工的福利状况进行整体评价。结果发现,农民工福利水平的总模糊指数为0.365,处于较低水平。分指标看,健康状况方面的福利状况处于较高水平,居住环境和精神感受方面的福利状况处于中间水平,其它功能性指标的福利水平较低。在影响农民工福利的主要因素中,工作环境和防护性保障的改善对提升农民工福利影响最大。运用OLS回归模型对农民工的福利状况进行扩展分析,发现农民工群体内部存在较强的异质性,并且不同特征的农民工群体福利水平相差很大。