I have to do an essay on welfare and if different political ideology would have an effect on this. Can anyone give me on any pointers on the left and right perspectives, that are idiot free. I have read loads but is just going over my head.
Only in my first year and am struggling to retain information i am reading. Hoping this may change over the next 4 years!
Thanks
Steven
Socialist and collectivist policies are about wealth distribution from rich to poor and welfare is acceptable.
Conservative are against wealth distribution and promote lower taxes and keep what is yours. Not keen on welfare as this means tax.
If you cant raise the tax the country borrows. If you cant pay it back, the country loses its credit rating and the currency suffers making imports expensive.
Look at how the USA has dealt with Cuba that was/is a Communist country. Research The Tea Party and Sarah Palin in the USA and how they are against Barraks wealth distribution and health reforms.
In the UK, the ideologies are far more close as New Labour and Conservatives are both trying to run a welfare state on borrowing as raising tax is unpopular with the electorate so you could look at old school politics which were like chalk and cheese and new politics which are more about reducing public spending because the country is 4 trillion quid in debt and cant pay the interest.
Look at how the right wing press such as The Mail views vulnerable people as scroungers and layabouts, especially asylum seekers and then look at the left wingGuardian at how these views are reframed in the perspective of vulnerable people being in need of welfare or they will suffer.
Google "The deserving and undeserving poor" and see how politics today views different types of poor as deserving or not of welfare. Eg: In the Mail it is usually a soldier from the 2nd World War cannot get a hip operation as asylum cheat jumps the queue".
This is absolute core social policy and so important that you read the papers to get a perspective about which party wants what welfare. Google the party manifestos.
Dont worry but it really is basic stuff they teach at Level 2 in college
I found a really good book in our uni library on this called "Ideology and Welfare" by Gary Taylor. I'd try and find a copy, it's very neatly laid out with a chapter on various different ideologies, discussing each one with how it views health, housing, benefits, social care, etc.