The Future of Social Security Policy: Women, Work and A Citizens Basic Income

by McKay; Ailsa

• ISBN13: 9780415344364
• ISBN10: 0415344360
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2005-09-22
• Publisher: Routledge

Summary

The purpose of the book is to critically assess current welfare reform agendas with specific reference to the world of paid work and social security policy from a feminist economics perspective. It has four main themes: * To explore the concept of social security and analysing the role of the state in the provision of income maintenance within an economics framework * To examine the reform agenda for social security policy in the UK with specific reference to the citizens basic income proposal * To critically assess the role social security policy plays in the promotion of gender equality * To reconceptualize the citizens basic income proposal from a feminist economics perspective

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements	xiv
Glossary	xv
1 Introduction: social security reform - a possible strategy	1	(12)
Introduction	1	(2)
Arguing for a Citizens' Basic Income	3	(2)
A feminist political economy	5	(6)
Outline	11	(2)
2 Justifying income transfers	13	(28)
Introduction	13	(3)
Justifying the benefit system – a question of economics?	16	(1)
Markets, efficiency and income transfers: the neo-classical approach	17	(23)
Conclusion	40	(1)
3 Social security or income maintenance policy? A question of definitions	41	(30)
Introduction	41	(2)
Defining social security	43	(3)
Defining income maintenance policy	46	(10)
The objectives of social security policy	56	(12)
Conclusion	68	(3)
4 'Basic income' or 'basic income maintenance': A micro-approach to policy	71	(33)
Introduction	71	(1)
The British social security system: evolution and design	72	(6)
Contemporary developments and current design	78	(6)
Income maintenance: the reform agenda	84	(3)
Identifying modern demands	87	(14)
Conclusion	101	(3)
5 Why a Citizens' Basic Income? The story so far	104	(21)
Introduction	104	(1)
Defining a Citizens' Basic Income	105	(2)
The Citizens' Basic Income and paid work	107	(4)
Women and a Citizens' Basic Income	111	(1)
Providing evidence of an androcentric bias	112	(2)
Developing an analytical framework	114	(9)
Conclusion	123	(2)
6 Arguing for a universal income guarantee: The reformist case	125	(57)
Introduction	125	(2)
Tracing the origins: the rights-based justification for a Citizens' Basic Income	127	(7)
Work and pay	134	(34)
A practical policy alternative	168	(8)
Tax and benefit integration: a new right agenda?	176	(5)
Conclusion	181	(1)
7 Arguing for a CBI: A radical policy response?	182	(43)
Introduction	182	(1)
The turning tide: collapse of the Keynesian Welfare State Consensus and the end of full employment	183	(8)
First principles: integration as a radical agenda	191	(3)
Welfare to Work or a welfare system that works?	194	(2)
The second marriage of justice and efficiency: the proactive approach	196	(11)
The full employment fallacy: the reactive approach	207	(7)
Independence versus dependence: the radical approach	214	(4)
Modified versions: the practical approach	218	(6)
Conclusion	224	(1)
8 Commodification versus non-commodification: A feminist economics perspective in support of a Citizens' Basic Income	225	(17)
Introduction	225	(3)
Reconceptualising work and income: a feminist perspective	228	(5)
A possible solution: intermediate labour markets	233	(3)
Work and income separated: a reprieve?	236	(2)
Work and income: a possible divorce?	238	(3)
Conclusion	241	(1)
9 Conclusion: The way forward?	242	(7)
Introduction: challenging the existing analytical framework	242	(1)
Understanding income maintenance policy	243	(2)
Why feminist economics and the CBI proposal?	245	(1)
Gender blind or gender neutral: the relevance of a CBI to the welfare reform agenda	246	(3)
Notes	249	(3)
Bibliography	252	(12)
Index	264