Essay Example on Social Security Act 1935: Legal Mandate Achieved for Welfare Benefits

Introduction

The social security act of 1935 goals achieves the legal mandate as required by the United States legal framework. Upon thorough and conclusive debates by the United States Congress, the social security act of 1935 was passed within the context of the existing laws. The passing of this act consequently legalized the goals that are associated with it, which solely aimed at provisions of adequate welfare benefits to the elderly set of population, people with a disability such as the blind and disabled persons. Additionally, the act also aimed at providing covers to maternal and child welfares together with public health at large. Laws relating to unemployment were also to be included within the statute. Eventually, on 14 August 1935, the act was made a legal law by the former president Roosevelt.

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Are the goals of the policy just and democratic?

The policy goals are widely considered just and democratic since it ended the long-suffering of the elderly and physically challenged individuals. This is because previous to the enactment of this act as a law, support relating to the elderly and the physically handicapped section of the society was left on the hands of various states, families, and the individual selves instead of the federal government. Eventually, the population mentioned above sets were exposed to financial strains and mental torture as a result of unavoidable inability to provide for personal needs, which in most cases resulted in depression satisfying the just aspect of this policy. Nevertheless, the policy goals fulfill the democratic mandate since its enactment incorporated views from the entire public and the opposition who perceived the policy goals to be a government tool aimed at invading the private sector (Quadagno, 2010).

How do the goals of the policy contribute to and/or impede human rights and social and economic justice?

These policy goals contribute to the protection of human rights, social and economic justice. This is because human rights demand that all persons should be subjected to good and affordable health care systems regardless of their social and economic status. Additionally, this policy promotes the rights and economic justice of the elderly and the physically challenged members of the society through provisions of pensions, health insurance, and incentives meant to meet their daily basic needs. As a result, this population set is protected from suffering initiated by a natural phenomenon that would eventually violate their rights to good health and healthy living general (DeWitt, 2010). Nevertheless, the promotion of social justice is also achieved since the physically disabled and elderly persons through this policy can view themselves to be leading a normal life, just like the other members of society.

How do the goals of the policy contribute to and/or impede the quality of life for the target population?

As a result of the social security act policy, the quality of life by the population in the discussion has tremendously improved. This is because, through the implementation of this act, the elderly and vulnerable population set, such as the physically challenged, unemployed, and expectant mothers, can eventually meet their health demands and basic needs reducing societal deaths and depressions (Gerber & McGuire, 2015).

In what ways does the policy contribute to or impede social relations between the target population and the overall society?

The social security act policy has, in great aspect, contributed towards the improvement in social relations between its target population beneficiaries and the overall society. This is evident since the members of society no longer perceive the physically disabled and the elderly as a burden to the community. This is because the implementation of the policy acts has facilitated the independence of its population target beneficiaries. In the long run, this has initiated acceptance and strong mutual social relationships within the community at large (Poole, 2013).

Are the goals of the policy consistent with the values of professional social work (Karger & Stoesz 2006)?

To an extent, there is a presence of limited consistency in the goals of the social security act policy goals to the values of professional social work. This is because professional social work operates under an amount that promotes self-social determination. Under this, individuals and clients are encouraged to economic progress and become self-reliant in meeting personal needs. This value of professional social work openly contradicts the goals associated with the social security act policy. Social security act policy aims at providing the basic needs of the elderly and physically challenged individuals without considering any contribution or input from the side of these beneficiaries. Eventually, the above population beneficiary ends up solely relying on the federal government for their living instead of being self-reliant, as stipulated in the professional social work values (Karger, 2006).

Current Proposals for Policy Reform

What proposals, if any, have been presented to amend the policy?

Several proposals have been made to amend the existing social security act of 1935. These amendments included (Magee & Pratt 2010):

An increase in the number of benefits to the old age survivors disability insurance by 7%

Disability definition liberalization

Viewing of tips as wages

Introduction of benefits to widows above 60 years on an actuarily reducing basis.

Increasing the benefit and contribution minimum to 6000 dollars.

Increasing the schedule and rate of contribution.

Exposing eligible children of age between 18-21 years who must be inactive schooling.

Simplification of insurance requirements to persons above 72 years.

Initiation of two relating federal insurance programs to the elderly where the first one relates to protecting the elderly from the expenses and charges associated with hospital bills and care, whereas the second focuses on plans that supplement physicians services costs and expenses.

Engaging the private sector into the program.

What political, social, and economic forces have shaped proposals for policy reform?

Political ideologies and forces normally form the basis of liberal and conservative reforms. Similarly, political forces shaped the process of social security reforms in this scenario. Politicians shared their views to gain legitimacy and achieve societal consensus. Additionally, politicians play a significant role in making reforms to become laws through the enactment of bills in the houses. Nevertheless, social and economic forces form the major criteria of judgment during the entire process of making these reforms. These two forces view the highly growing population of the elderly to be shrinking the economy size. To solve these suggestions relating to raising the retirement age are suggested. Consequently, economic suggestions relating to partial privatization of the program were advocated for. Finally, social forces are also witnessed, which aimed to maintain the existing principles and structure of the program while increasing finance allocation to the program through revenue increase.

Have any of these proposals been enacted?

The above proposals were fully enacted apart from a little alteration about the supplementary program. The alteration recommended that the services provided by the physicians in the field of pathology, radiology, and physical medicine be included within hospital insurance rather than a supplementary program.

How will these proposals change the intended outcomes or unintended consequences of the policy?

Partial privatization of the social security program intends to relieve the government of a section of financial involvement. Consequently, this action would reduce the influence of the program on realizing its original goals. This is because a good number of private sector stakeholders often focus on profit-making rather than service delivery as intended by the initial goals of the program. Eventually, this would lower the number of social security policy beneficiaries within the rural setup and country at large. Additionally, proposals such as disability liberalization would aid in widening beneficiaries' scope, making the program more beneficial to a larger population. Additionally, a good number of proposals, such as increasing the number of contributions, schedules, and rates, would serve the purpose of increasing the amounts of benefits to the beneficiaries.

How will these proposals impact diverse and vulnerable populations?

In conclusion, a section of these proposals aims at increasing financial benefits to vulnerable populations. Additionally, the widening of health insurance scope also forms a crucial element of these proposals. This would finally protect the vulnerable members of the population from both petty and extreme health concerns. Consequently, engaging the private sector into this program would limit the vulnerable population from enjoying the full goals of the policy. Despite the increased scope of benefits by the vulnerable population, the entire population at large stands a risk of suffering a little degree of a shrink in the economy (Schiltz, 2011). This risk exposure may result from the increased financial burden to the federal government arising from the continually rising elderly population.

References

Butler, R. N. (2013). The relation of extended life to extended employment since the passage of Social Security in 1935. The Milbank Memorial Fund Quarterly. Health and Society, 420-429. https://doi.org/10.2307/3349865DeWitt, L. (2010). The development of social security in America. Soc. Sec. Bull., 70, 1.

Gerber, D. E., & McGuire, S. L. (2015). Understanding contemporary health and welfare services: The Social Security Act of 1935 and the Public Health Service Act of 1944. Nursing Outlook, 43(6), 266-272. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0029-6554(95)80092-1

Karger. S. (2006). Federal government interventions and state welfare policy choices: Work requirements, sanctions, and lifetime limits. Journal of Policy Practice, 8(4), 282-300. https://doi.org/10.1080/15588740903176211

Magee, E. M., & Pratt, M. W. (2010). 50 Years of US Federal Support to Promote the Health of Mothers, Children, and Handicapped Children in America: 1935-1985. A review of Federal Appropriations and Allocations to States for Health and Related Programs of Title V of the Social Security Act of 1935 and the Omnibus Reconciliation Act of 1981.

Poole, M. E. (2013). Securing race and ensuring dependence: The Social Security Act of 1935.

Quadagno, J. S. (2010). Welfare capitalism and the Social Security Act of 1935. American Sociological Review, 632-647. https://doi.org/10.2307/2095421

Schiltz, M. E. (2011). Public attitudes toward social security, 1935-1965 (Vol. 33). US Social Security Administration, Office of Research and Statistics.