What are the critical characteristics of social insurance programs?
What will be an ideal response?
Social insurance programs are entitlement programs. Citizens who have paid into them cannot be denied coverage once they meet the criteria for eligibility. Considering the costs of the programs, social insurance programs do relatively little to redistribute income across economic classes. Instead these programs tend to distribute income across time and across generations. Social Security is a direct transfer program that taxes working people and their employers and pays that money out to beneficiaries. Social insurance programs are conceptualized as insurance. Citizens believe they are purchasing an insurance policy through payroll taxes. The insurance element is important as it implies a contract between citizens and government. Citizens believe they have a legal and moral claim to receive Social Security benefits because they have contributed to the program throughout their working lives.
You might also like to view...
National self-determination is a concept closely related to
a. fascism. b. socialism. c. nationalism. d. authoritarianism.
Since 1968, the American political scene has witnessed a slow but steady shift in political party affiliation, especially in the South. What is occurring?
A) The historically solid Democratic stronghold in the South has reverted to a strong Republican territory. B) A strong third party has emerged. C) States' Rights party of Strom Thurmond has been instrumental in cementing the Democratic stronghold in the South. D) Northern Republicans are migrating to the South but the native population in the southern states remains committed to the Democratic Party. E) The Democratic Party in the South has lost much support but that loss has been seen mostly across racial lines.
The system of checks and balances does not provide a means a. to stop a single branch of government from acting unilaterally
b. for both houses of the legislative branch to agree in order for legislation to pass. c. for the judicial branch to adjudicate conflicts between the states. d. to select the best candidates for executive office.
A country that regularly holds elections but does not strongly enforce individual rights is a(n) _____
a. failed state b. illiberal democracy c. authoritarian regime d. neoconservative state