Understanding Social Policy: Key Areas & Impact
Introduction: Content Areas and Social Policy
Generally, when we speak of social policy, we refer to the activities developed by a state as a mediator between politics and economic activity. It has the job of balancing the distribution of wealth.
Once economic welfare and political stability are reached, the State must adapt its structures to implement the necessary changes demanded by the population for governing. This situation ends in the establishment of social policies, which in Europe were developed in the north and neighboring countries and were extended to the Mediterranean.
The determining factor for progress in social policy is economic development, which leads to the establishment of the welfare state.
We note in this structure, in order of influence, the commercial sphere (affecting all states in general). This area is determined by the labor market and is the result of state planning in its capacity as formulator of economic policy to be developed. International changes in economic policies are determined by the membership or non-membership of developing countries with the highest potential for development, or emerging countries.
Social policies seek to address the externalities generated by the labor market, which the state assumes. We also emphasize the privatization of many services that are the responsibility of the state, which leads to the privatization of profits and public resources, leaving the state without infrastructure and without the wealth it generated.
The next step of the affected population would be the state level. In this area, the Spanish state and its welfare system are characterized by a low level of expenditure in relation to the EU average (this comparison is made with surrounding countries that developed the welfare state earlier and were the model) and have grown due to social pressures and not by better economic times.
We must emphasize the excessive bureaucratization of many services and benefits of the welfare state in Spain, which has led to low participation and implementation, and little boost of state powers.
We should stress the decentralization suffered by the Spanish state in developing the competencies of the different regions, leading to social policies being studied at local, state, and autonomous levels.
Another factor to consider is the domestic sphere, where a traditional family ideology has conditioned social policies. A Catholic, patriarchal vision has taken a central role in Spanish family welfare. The conservative and traditional concept of family is not ready to assume the increase of single-parent families or the incorporation of women into the labor market, so the state has not assumed the role women have played to date in the family environment.
Another important aspect is that of relations, which until now have not had an important role as there is little community involvement in welfare and has little relevance in our society.
However, we highlight the growing network of organizations which are progressively taking over some policy requirements of the state.
Immersed in a global economy, the trend is towards social polarization and expansion of existing inequalities (in income distribution, gender inequality, increased immigration from poorer countries, etc.).
As the objective of social policy is the distribution of resources and opportunities and establishing rights for citizens, independent of the market, there are two ways to do this: with a liberal reform or the defense of the welfare state. The philosophy of social policy is about health services and universal social protection funded by progressive taxation.