Abstract: Social policy in a market economy. State policy in a market economy Social policy in a market economy briefly
INTRODUCTION 3
1. MARKET MECHANISM AND ECONOMIC REFORM 4
2. ESSENCE AND GOALS OF SOCIAL POLICY 6
3. MAIN DIRECTIONS OF SOCIAL POLICY OF THE RF 13
CONCLUSION 15
REFERENCES 16
INTRODUCTION
Any market economy cannot exist and function without government regulation. Uncontrolled market processes are destructive to society and nature. Therefore, a market economy, more than any other, needs regulation.
The relationship between state regulation of the economy and social policy pursued by the state is obvious. State regulation of the economy is the process of the state’s influence on the economic life of society and related social processes, during which the economic and social policy of the state is implemented.
Article 7 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation establishes that the Russian Federation is a social state, the policy of which is aimed at creating conditions that ensure a decent life and the free development of people.
This provision is very important, since only a state can be social in which the main tasks are: state support for the family, motherhood, fatherhood and childhood, labor protection and health of people, the appointment of pensions and benefits for the disabled, the establishment of a guaranteed minimum wage. -ra wages.
Every person has the right to count on a decent standard of living. Achieving this goal is one of the most important tasks of any democratic state. Constitution Russian Federation declares, i.e. proclaims the rights of citizens and defines guarantees for their implementation, thereby confirming the fundamental position that our country is a “social state”, where guarantees of social protection of the population are established by the state authorities.
1. MARKET MECHANISM AND ECONOMIC REFORM
The implementation of economic reform in Russia showed that the expectation of its initiators on the automaticity of the formation of market mechanisms did not come true. A market economy, and this is evidenced by world experience, can only be created with an active regulatory role of the state, which allows reforms to be carried out with the least economic and social costs.
As is known, the direction of the reforms and the methods of their implementation dramatically affected the state of the social sphere, and above all the income policy of the population. It is in income policy that all social problems are focused. To begin to solve them, fundamental changes in the position of the state are necessary. First of all, at the new stage of economic transformation, we must stop considering income as the main source of reducing inflation. The policy of containing income has already led to a threefold decrease in consumer demand and was one of the main, if not the main reason for the reduction in production volumes in the country. After all, in market economy It is income through increased demand that encourages the expansion of production.
This means that we need an approach to income policy that would create an economic incentive to increase production volumes and could become powerful support for measures of direct government influence on the rise in production.
New approach should consist in faster growth of workers' incomes (and primarily wages) compared to rising prices.
The implementation of this policy will be successful only if it is accompanied by assistance to domestic producers in the domestic market, reasonable tax policy and increased control over financial discipline.
The focus of income policy on reviving production will create conditions for solving other social problems: increasing jobs, reducing social tension, developing the sphere of paid services, etc.
An important direction of the state's social policy in the field of income should be the reduction of unjustified differentiation in income. This can be achieved in two ways: faster income growth for workers and low-income people and slower growth for those with high incomes.
The organizing beginning of all measures to implement such a policy should be the legislative approval of a system of minimum consumer budgets: for one employee, a standard family with children of different ages, a pensioner, a student, etc. At the same time, it is important to reorient the budget system from the physiological minimum to a level that ensures normal reproduction of the labor force.
2. ESSENCE AND GOALS OF SOCIAL POLICY
The most significant determinant of the social sphere, especially during the period of intensive structural restructuring, breaking down the old mechanisms of self-regulation of society, is social policy, since there is a need for targeted impacts on the social environment in order to avoid the huge social costs characteristic of economic and political reforms. It is social policy that is called upon to solve the problem of the relationship between economic development and the preservation of social guarantees, reducing contradictions in economic and social processes that occur more or less spontaneously.
Social policy is one of the most important directions, an integral part domestic policy states. It is designed to ensure expanded reproduction of the population, harmonization of social relations, political stability, civil harmony and is implemented through government decisions, social events and programs. It is precisely this that ensures the interaction of all spheres of society’s life in solving social problems, exhibiting its properties: universality (the all-encompassing nature of the impact of social policy on all aspects of people’s social reproduction); inclusion (the ability to penetrate into all spheres of life) and attribution (the ability to combine with any social relations, social phenomena and spheres).
Real social policy is determined by the properties that have developed in history, the specific conditions of the era, the characteristics of the economic, political and cultural development of society, the probabilistic and informational factors of its formation.
Over time, social policy expanded both the objects of its influence and its content. The scale of government intervention in social processes grew. Now it is not limited to certain categories of the population.
The direct object of social policy is the living conditions of almost all social and demographic groups. She is increasingly striving not only to correct negative social consequences economic development, but to prevent them, focusing on the implementation of the constructive function associated with social prevention and positive improvement of individual elements and the entire dominant system. At the same time, political forces strive, in the interests of achieving their goals, to maneuver, maintaining a balance between the desired and the possible.
The theoretical and legal basis of social policy is the provision of the Constitution of the Russian Federation, adopted in December 1993, where Article 7 states that the Russian Federation is a social state, the policy of which is aimed at creating conditions that ensure a decent life and free development person. This provision of the Basic Law of the Russian Federation echoes the provisions of the European Social Charter and the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1948, as the convention states that every person has the right to the same standard of living, including food, health, housing, medical care, social services necessary to maintain the health and well-being of himself and his family, the right to security in the event of unemployment, illness, disability, widowhood, old age or other loss of means existence due to circumstances beyond his control. The implementation of these human rights determines the content of social policy.
The subjects of social policy are the state and the structures of the emerging civil society (public associations, organizations, enterprises, firms).
The central place in social regulation belongs to the state, represented by its representative and executive bodies operating at the federal, regional and local levels. They formulate a general concept, determine the main directions of social policy, its strategy, tactics, provide a legislative and legal basis, and implement specific provisions on the ground.
Social activities carried out within enterprises and firms become important in solving social problems of certain categories of the population; activity of political, trade union and public associations, charitable and voluntary organizations. They implement social policy within relatively narrow limits corresponding to their competence. The complementarity of social state regulation with the implementation of programs of enterprises, firms, and other civil society institutions increases the effectiveness of social policy, its focus, targeting, and flexibility. Thus, the mechanism of social policy appears as a variety of subjects, programs, their financial basis, methods and means of implementation with the leading role of the state and state social regulation.
The goal of social policy is to improve the well-being of the population, ensure a high level and quality of life, characterized by the following indicators: income as a material source of existence, employment, health, housing, education, culture, ecology. Therefore, social policy is associated with the distribution of income, goods, services, material and social conditions for the reproduction of the population. It is aimed at limiting the scale of absolute poverty and inequality, providing material sources of livelihood for those who, for reasons beyond their control, do not have them, providing medical and educational services, expanding the network and improving the quality of transport services, and improving the environment. Social policy is based on the fact that an indispensable condition maintaining the well-being of every person should be his feasible participation in this.
Society legally guarantees the minimum of all benefits necessary for the life of a person and family. It is determined by the characteristics of the country: territory, climate, population size, the nature of the social system, ideology and Practical activities ruling groups, political situation, level of economic development, national specifics, established cultural stereotypes of behavior.
Social policy influences the monetary income of the population, as well as the production of goods and services in sufficient quantities adequate to the demand, volume and structure of the needs of the population. Its main directions are: regulation of wages, income, employment, improvement of labor qualities of workers, maintenance of health, cultural and educational level, development of social infrastructure, social security.
The monetary income of able-bodied citizens is regulated through wage policy by establishing a minimum wage or basic parameters of wages in state-owned enterprises. By purchasing goods and services on the commodity market, social policy indirectly (for private enterprises) and directly (for public enterprises) participates in the primary distribution of newly created value.
The monetary income of disabled groups of the population is directly determined by social policy. And here its participation in the secondary redistribution of primary income becomes decisive. The redistribution mechanism consists in the state withdrawing a share of primary income in the form of various types of taxes, as well as forced insurance contributions and the financing of social programs. Taxation and social payments are carried out differentially, depending on the amount of primary income. At the same time, taxation is based on the principle of progressivity. The higher the income, the higher the taxes. The basis of social payments is an inverse relationship.
The social security system is at the center of the social mechanism for supporting cash incomes of disabled citizens. It consists of two subsystems: social insurance and public assistance. They differ in objects, amounts of social benefits and sources of financing.
Compulsory social insurance is intended to compensate for material losses caused by temporary or permanent cessation of work due to age, illness, industrial injury (payment of pensions, sick leave, unemployment benefits, etc.). The basis of social insurance is formed by contributions specifically intended for this purpose. They are paid by employers and the workers themselves, and represent part of the earned funds allocated for social insurance. This is an act of self-help.
The state assistance system provides regular cash payments, a variety of in-kind assistance and individual social services. Its objects are the economically inactive population and participants in social production who do not have sufficient income from the point of view of the generally accepted standard. The basis for financing public assistance is revenues from the state budget.
Both of these subsystems operate on the basis of the principle of solidarity, the essence of which is the redistribution of income from some socio-demographic groups to others. The financial source of social security is the current income of participants in social production, withdrawn through taxation channels (income tax, enterprise taxes, etc.) and targeted contributions (contributions from enterprises and the insured themselves). These taxes and contributions form public funds - the financial basis of social benefits.
The activities of the state are not limited only to the redistribution of monetary income. It also includes the formation of public funds and the financing of social service sectors that satisfy the needs of the population in receiving general and vocational education, maintaining health, housing, healthy environment, transport. Social policy is responsible for the availability of the minimum (at at this stage development of society) services to all segments of the population.
The employment policy promotes the employment of everyone who is ready to start work and is looking for it, achieving maximum productivity, ensuring each potential employee has the freedom to choose employment, the opportunity to receive special training, and use their skills and abilities to do so. the type of work for which he is best suited. Employment policy has short-term and long-term objectives. Short-term ones include mitigation or neutralization of the negative consequences of economic downturns and reforms. Long-term - establishing a ratio of categories of workers by industry, profession and qualification that is favorable for social development; maintaining the level of use of labor potential; bringing the size and composition of the workforce into line with such needs; positive adaptation of the employed to economic transformations; improving the quality of the workforce outstripping technological progress.
Social policy is closely related to economic policy. It is difficult to separate them in the complex of social regulation, although they differ in specific goals, objectives, objects, methods, means, and institutions. Economic policy is aimed at regulating material and production relations social development, solving business problems. Its results have an active influence on the state of the political, cultural, spiritual and social spheres of society. Social policy regulates social processes, solves the problem of improving human well-being, ensuring the proper level and quality of life. Its results also affect all aspects of life. They both represent independent, equivalent areas of social regulation. But their independence is relative, because they are in complex interdependent relationships. Any social program requires an economic justification, and the amount of social expenditure depends on the economic state of society. On the other hand, exceeding the economic capabilities of implementing social measures, neglecting economic feasibility when redistributing income can cause damage to the economy, undermine the material foundations of social progress, lead to accelerated inflation and aggravation of the country’s economic problems.
3. MAIN DIRECTIONS OF SOCIAL POLICY OF THE RF
Effective social policy is impossible without effective, balanced, non-corrupt state power, responsible to the people, without ensuring the unity of social policy at various levels of government. Research shows that on different levels power remains different understanding How social policy should be structured today, the essence of the subsidiary model chosen as the main one in the Development Strategy of the Russian Federation until 2010 is understood differently.
The most important resources for changing social policy in Russia are:
democratization of management of social processes,
updating the ways of its economic organization,
changes in social planning,
regulation of disproportions in social development,
creation of a unified system for collecting and processing information, studying the standard of living of the population,
conducting expert assessments and forecasts of situations developing in this area.
Changing planning in the field of social policy involves the development of a whole set of medium-term and long-term guidelines based on scientific forecasts of trends in social and economic development and reliance on new, scientifically based state social standards in social policy, the development of optimal action programs . One of the most difficult modern problems is the creation of a modern unified system of social support, ensuring the differentiation of the functions of the structures entrusted with this work, and the effective spending of social funds.
The problem of integrating the activities of non-governmental, voluntary and public organizations in the field of social policy. Each of them performs its own function, some - charitable, some - lobbying. It is important to create a unified social space for such organizations so that they develop legitimately, are accountable to society, can receive funding, and have professional staff. Relying on them, the state must still retain its central role and responsibility for the results of social policy.
When building a new social policy, it is important to take into account the extent of Russia’s involvement in the processes of globalization, world integration, and prospects. It is obvious that the creation of favorable conditions for all groups of equal access to all available opportunities, in order to achieve social justice and cohesion of all citizens, is associated with the socialization of global policy in the interests of the national social policy of Russia, i.e. it is important to build national policy taking into account new global risks; make full use of the possibilities of international law and organizations that are already trying to regulate social processes at the global level, as well as the possibilities of economic support provided to countries during periods of structural restructuring of the economy; take a worthy place in the emerging structure of global social regulation, use it in your own interests; take part in the development of norms, standards, policies and institutions in the interests of people and the protection of their rights.
CONCLUSION
Social policy is one of the leading areas of public regulation. It has its own specific goals, objectives, objects of influence and is aimed at reducing contradictions in all spheres of society. Social policy is designed to regulate well-being, maintaining it at a level acceptable both for the individual and for society, and is responsible for observing basic human rights to a minimum extent and ensuring a guaranteed minimum of material living conditions.
The legal and theoretical foundations of modern social policy are contained in the current Constitution of the Russian Federation, and the specifics are determined by the characteristics of the transition period in Russia, shifts in political and economic structures, historical traditions of the country's development, cultural characteristics, and public consciousness. Effectiveness is determined by how adequate its content and mechanisms are to these changes.
Social policy as a relatively independent direction of the state’s internal policy influences not only its object, but also all other social structures. The sphere of its direct or indirect influence extends to both political and economic processes. The effectiveness of social policy depends on how correctly the priority areas of the social sphere for development at the moment are chosen, as well as on the ability to rationally use the financial resources allocated for this.
Social policy, along with a protective function, performs a constructive function related to prevention and positive improvement of both individual elements and the entire social system as a whole.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
1. Constitution of the Russian Federation. Adopted by popular vote on December 12, 1993. " Russian newspaper", No. 237, dated December 25, 1993.
2. State regulation of the economy in Russia // Investments in Russia. – 2002.- No. 10
3. Efimova E.G. Potapova I.S., Zaslavskaya M.D. Economic theory: Tutorial. Part II 2nd ed., rev. and additional – M., 2003.
4. Kulikov L.M. Basics of economic theory. Textbook allowance. – M.: Finance and Statistics, 2007.
5. Sazhina M.A., Chibrikov G.G. Fundamentals of economic theory - M., 2006.
6. Oreshin V.P. "State regulation of the national economy." – M: Yurist, 2006.
7. Fundamentals of Economic Theory / Ed. Nikolaeva I. UNITY-DANA, 2003.
8. Revenkov A. Planning in the system of state regulation of the economy. // Economist. – 2008. -№8.
9. Tanzi V. The role of the state in the economy: the evolution of concepts // MEiMO. – 2007. - No. 10
10. Bobkov V. Level and availability of social guarantees // Man and labor. - 2008. - No. 1. - P. 55-62.
11. Ten years of Russian reforms through the eyes of Russians // Sociological Research. - 2002. - No. 10.- P. 22-37.
12. Kalashnikov S. Social state: evolution and stages of formation // Man and work. - 2007. - No. 10.- P. 47-55.
13. McIntyre R. Social policy in countries with transition economies in the aspect of human resource development // Problems of forecasting. - 2007. - No. 2. - pp. 142-150.
Social policy is a set of measures aimed at creating conditions to meet the needs of the population, increasing their well-being and providing a system of social guarantees.
Social policy comes down to state assistance for socially fair distribution of income in market conditions in a mixed economy. It took a long time for countries with market economies to recognize that the distribution of income that is fair from the market point of view is unfair from the human point of view. In market conditions, there is only one criterion of justice: any income received in free competition in the market for goods, services, capital and labor is considered fair.
From the point of view of the market, high incomes are fair for those who succeed, low incomes for those who go bankrupt and fail.
Even in the United States, social security law came into force relatively recently (since 1937). Its purpose was to protect the American people from the economic destitution caused by old age and unemployment.
This system consists of 3 parts:
- Old age pension and survivors insurance;
- Unemployment Insurance;
- Providing benefits to the elderly and other forms of social security. In economics, it is generally accepted that technological progress and economic growth contribute to the growth of well-being of members of society, but in reality everything is completely different. For example, in 1900 average value per capita income per year for Africa as a whole was equal to 500 US dollars and was 9 times lower than in England (the richest country at that time). And in 2000, the average African per capita income was $1,290 and was almost 20 times lower than the average per capita income of the richest country, the United States. (ME and MO, No. 1, 2001, pp. 7-8). But even in the USA itself in 1998, 12.7% of the population was below the poverty line (ME and MO, No. 8, 2000, p. 84).
And yet, it cannot be denied that social policy depends on the results of economic growth and is modern society the goal of economic growth.
Social policy is carried out at different levels of economic activity:
- at the firm level;
- at the regional level;
- at the national level;
- At the interstate level (UNESCO, UN).
To measure the standard of living, the “consumer basket” is taken as a starting point, including a set of goods and services that ensure a certain level of consumption. There is a “minimum level” of consumption and a “rational level” of consumption.
“Minimum level” is a consumer set, the reduction of which puts the consumer beyond the boundaries of providing normal conditions for his existence, i.e. below the poverty line.
“Rational level of consumption” - reflects the amount and structure of consumption that is most favorable for a person.
To develop social policy, it is also necessary to use the indicator of the quality of life of the population.
The following indicators are used to determine quality of life. as: 1. Working conditions and safety; 2. Condition of the habitat; 3. Availability of free time for hired workers; 4. Cultural level of the population; 5. Physical development and health of citizens; 6. Personal and property security of society members.
In any modern state there are differences in income and wealth.
Income is the amount of cash. received over a certain period of time and intended for the acquisition of goods and services for personal consumption.
Wealth is the financial assets accumulated by the family. as well as real estate and durable goods.
The Lorenz curve is used to measure the degree of inequality in the distribution of income in a society.
Lorenz curve
The proportion of families (100%) is located on the x-axis. on the y-axis is the share of income (100%). The theoretical possibility of absolute equality is represented by the bisector OA. This means. that 10% of the population should receive 10% of all income. and 20% of the population - 20% of income. However, in real life everything looks different. For example. 60% of the population receives 40% of the income. and 80% of the population receives less than 60% of income.
The Lorenz curve is represented by an arcuate "L" curve. The greater the bend of the arc, the greater the degree of inequality in society. However, the state can, through progressive taxation, reduce the degree of inequality between rich and poor. This is represented in graph 1. The Lorenz curve was originally represented by the "L" curve. and then, as a result of state social policy, it will be an “L” curve, i.e. inequality will decrease.
The quantitative degree of inequality in income distribution can be calculated using the Gini coefficient.
KG=L/OBA. where L is the area of the shaded area;
OVA is the remaining part of the triangle.
The Gini coefficient is in the range between 0 and 1. In the Republic of Belarus, the Gini coefficient was 0.270 in 2000 (Statistical Yearbook, 2001, Min. Min. Statistics and Analysis of the Republic of Belarus, 2001, p. 138).
In addition, the decile coefficient is widely used to assess income differentiation.
The decile coefficient expresses the ratio between the average incomes of the 10% of the highest-paid citizens of a given country and the 10% of the least wealthy citizens. In the Republic of Belarus, the decile coefficient was in 2000.
- (ibid., p. 138).
- Creation of targeted social protection;
- Streamlining benefits, allowances and additional payments paid at the expense of enterprises and organizations by including them in tariff rates and official salaries;
- Providing guarantees for citizens in the field of labor, social protection, education, health, culture, and housing.
- Normalization of the demographic situation, increase in life expectancy, decrease in mortality.
- Ensuring effective employment of the population, improving the quality and competitiveness of the workforce;
- Creation of economic and legal conditions for increasing labor activity, developing entrepreneurship and business initiative of the working population;
- Increasing the living standards of the population;
- Improving the condition and effective development of the social environment; Primary attention should be paid to improving the healthcare system as one of the most important priority areas of the country's socio-economic development. The main goal here is to meet the needs of the population for affordable medical and drug care.
Source: Svetlitsky I.S.. Economic theory: Electronic educational and methodological complex for students of all non-economic specialties. - Mn.: BSUIR. - 286 p.. 2006(original)
More on the topic: The need and essence of state social policy in a market economy. Income inequality. Lorenz curve. Gini coefficient:
- Social policy of the state, its formation. Types and main directions. Lorenz curve and Gini coefficient
- 96. The problem of poverty and income differentiation. Lorenz curve
- 2.2. The need and essence of state regulation of property in a market economy. Denationalization and privatization
- Chapter 1.6. ROLE OF THE STATE IN SOCIAL POLICY. FEATURES OF THE STATE AS A SUBJECT OF SOCIAL POLICY AND ITS CONSTITUTIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES IN THIS FIELD
- CRISIS OF ADMINISTRATIVE PLANNING SYSTEMS AND THE NEED FOR TRANSITION TO A MARKET SYSTEM TASKS OF MACROECONOMIC STABILIZATION DURING THE TRANSITION TO A MARKET SYSTEM INSTITUTIONAL TRANSFORMATIONS DURING THE TRANSITION TO A MARKET SYSTEM SOCIAL POLICY DURING THE TRANSITION TO A MARKET SYSTEM
COURSE WORK
on the topic: “Social policy in a market economy and its features in the Russian Federation”
in the course “Economic Theory”, part 2 – “Macroeconomics”
PERFORMED:
SUPERVISOR:
WORK PROTECTED:
Date of: _______________________
Grade: _____________________
Signature: ____________________
Voronezh 2010
SOCIAL POLICY IN A MARKET ECONOMY
AND ITS FEATURES IN THE RF.
Introduction
Chapter 1: Theoretical foundations of social policy in a market economy.
The essence and main directions of social policy.
Methods of redistribution of income by the state.
Social protection of the population.
Chapter 2: Features of social policy in the Russian Federation.
2.1. Stages of formation of social policy in Russia.
2.2. Main directions of social policy in Russia.
Conclusion
Bibliography
Introduction
Human economic activity ultimately aims to create a material base for improving living conditions. Since people are closely connected with each other in their economic activities, a change in the living conditions of an individual cannot occur in isolation from changes in these conditions for other individuals. In turn, this requires coordination of activities to ensure favorable living conditions.
This activity is called social policy. In essence, social policy expresses ultimate goals and economic growth outcomes. Social policy plays a dual role from the point of view of the functioning of the economic system. As economic growth occurs, the creation of favorable conditions in the social sphere becomes the main goal of economic activity, that is, the goals of economic growth are concentrated in social policy. Secondly, social policy is also a factor in economic growth. If economic growth is not accompanied by an increase in well-being, then people lose incentives for effective economic activity. The higher the level of economic development achieved, the higher the requirements for people ensuring economic growth, for their knowledge, culture, etc. In turn, this requires further development of the social sphere.
The transition from a centralized economic system to a market one leads to the emergence of a number of problems in the field of social and labor relations and the aggravation of employment problems. Only skillful state regulation of socio-economic processes, including employment, can bring the success of reforms closer.
The structural restructuring of the Russian economy led to the release of workers from the material and non-material spheres of the economy, and thus the emergence of obvious unemployment. Hidden unemployment is also increasing (due to people independently looking for work, on partially paid or completely unpaid vacations, working part-time or a week against their will, etc.).
The task of the socially oriented economy of the state in the emerging market economy of Russia is to work on the social protection of all layers of society and to develop a strategy for effective social policy.
The social policy of the state affects and covers all areas of economic relations in the country. One of the most important areas of government activity is regulating employment and stimulating highly qualified and productive labor and, as a result, increasing national income.
This paper examines such issues as the essence of the state’s social policy; state policy on the labor market and social assistance; state policy in the formation of income of the population.
The purpose of this work is to study the theoretical basis of social policy and the main mechanisms for its implementation in practice.
The objectives of this work are:
1) find out the essence of social policy and its main directions;
2) determine the features of modern social policy in Russia.
1. Theoretical foundations of social policy in a market economy.
The essence and main directions of social policy.
The economic theory of the welfare state arose after the Second World War and involves the implementation of reasonable policies in the field of taxation, loans, investments, antimonopoly and customs legislation, financing of social sectors and programs. The social state creates a legal field, establishes rules of behavior on it, mechanisms of functioning and control to achieve the following goals:
development and sustainable operation of the domestic market economy, ensuring economic security for the country;
real participation of citizens in production management, public and state life;
implementation of tariff policy in the interests of the employer and employee;
social protection and support for those in need;
pursuing a policy of fair distribution of income, social solidarity of citizens;
active social policy and social partnership.
Social policy is always connected with relations between people regarding their use of material and spiritual goods and should be considered as part of a general economic policy, the ultimate goal of which is to improve the well-being of the population.
Social policy is a set of government measures aimed at regulating the entire complex of social processes and relations between people. The main directions of the state's social policy are shown in Fig. 1.
Social policy of the state
Providing all able-bodied people with favorable opportunities for entrepreneurship and work
Ensuring a certain standard of well-being for all members of society
Redistribution of income in society
Business liberalization
Small Business Encouragement
Payment of pensions and benefits to the disabled, low-income and unemployed
High employment support
General education and necessary medical care for everyone
Regulation of labor relations
Rice. 1. The main directions of the state’s social policy.
State social policy provides for solutions to the following tasks:
ensuring equal opportunities in realizing the right to education and a share in public welfare through fair distribution of income and property (capital);
reducing undesirable market-driven differences between rich and poor in the generation of income and capital;
ensuring greater freedom, justice, respect for human dignity, ensuring personal development, active participation in public life and the right to a share of responsibility before society;
further improvement of socio-political instruments and provisions governing the existing structure in order to ensure basic social rights and expand the social security network.
It should be noted that the possibilities for solving certain social policy problems are determined by the resources that the state can direct to their solution. In turn, the resource base depends on the overall level of economic development of the country. Therefore, specific tasks of social policy are closely related to the economic development of the country.
Methods of redistribution of income by the state.
The most important direction of social policy is the state income policy. The essence of income policy lies in the direct establishment by the state of such an upper limit for the increase in nominal wages that would contribute to the implementation of the main tasks and priorities facing the economy. It is aimed at solving two main tasks: providing direct assistance to the most vulnerable segments of the population through the social security system and neutralizing inflationary depreciation of income and savings of the population. Specific wording of individual income policy provisions in different countries different. In practice, there are no two completely identical options for the development of income policy. The implementation mechanism and forms of manifestation of this policy in each specific state differ in features determined by:
socio-economic and political development of a particular country;
the degree and nature of government intervention in matters of wage regulation;
traditions of concluding collective agreements;
social tension in society.
The main object of all income policy options is the worker's earnings as a whole, including wage rates, overtime pay, social benefits, etc.
The state policy of income is to redistribute it through the state budget through differentiated taxation of different groups of recipients of income and social benefits. At the same time, a significant share of national income is transferred from high-income strata of the population to low-income strata. The state redistributes income by paying social transfers, introducing minimum wages, and changing prices set by the market.
The problem of income distribution has two aspects: functional distribution and personal distribution.
Functional income distribution refers to the manner in which a society's monetary income is divided into wages, rent, interest and profit. Total income is distributed in accordance with the function performed by the recipient of the income. Functional distribution forms the primary income of the population. In a mixed economy, as the practice of developed countries shows, the bulk of total income comes from wages. The income of small owners, including from the self-employment of doctors, lawyers, farmers, owners of small and unincorporated businesses, is essentially a combination of wages, profits, rent and interest.
Personal Income distribution refers to the way in which the total income of a society is distributed among individual households. Total income is unevenly distributed between groups. Personal distribution is related to households as a spending group. Part of the population's income goes to the state as individual taxes, and the rest is distributed for personal consumption and savings. Income generation is accompanied by unequal distribution. Causes of income inequality.
The previous section showed that the acceleration or deceleration of economic growth affects the volume of employment and the standard of living of the population. Economic activity of people ultimately has the goal of creating a material base for improving living conditions. However, the market mechanism cannot automatically solve all social problems, so the state corrects the market through social policy. In the broad sense of the word social It is customary to name everything that directly relates to society, people, and their lives.
15.1. The essence and main directions of social policy
Social politics - a system of measures carried out by the state to solve social problems related to meeting people's needs.
However, this general definition needs to be specified and clarified. Every society consists of a variety of social groups, each of which has its own interests, values and needs. Social benefits - material and spiritual are in short supply; they are not enough to meet the needs of everyone. As a result, competition is created between groups for mastery of sources of social benefits, including the right to establish rules for their distribution. The main lever for realizing the interests of social groups is power, which makes it possible for some social groups to impose their will on other groups through state institutions.
Social policy covers social sphere:
material conditions of non-productive human activity - housing, services, healthcare, education, trade, catering, public transport, material resources for culture and sports, etc.;
intangible benefits - a set of various types of spiritual activity, including self-organization and self-government.
The goal of social policy is to achieve social justice and reducing social inequality. The categories “social justice” and “social equality” are not identical. It cannot be assumed that the presence of social inequality means social injustice, that achieving social justice will eliminate social inequality.
Social inequality there is an unequal situation in the social sphere, it is expressed in the fact that some groups of the population consume more than others, play a greater role in the management, for example, of production, have greater opportunities for leisure, etc. Is this fair or not? Such a question in abstract form makes no sense. Equity assessment depends on the norms and values of a particular society, on the state of mass and group consciousness in a particular historical time. What is considered fair in a given society may have been perceived as unjust in the past, and
turnover This means that social policy is historical in nature and changes over time.
In principle, social justice in a society with a market economy is associated with the distribution of benefits in accordance with the achieved level of labor and production efficiency. In a number of developed countries, recently, social justice involves ensuring a decent standard of living for every citizen, equalizing the standard of living of people.
The emergence of a trend towards social leveling in developed countries it is expressed in the formation of the so-called middle class, which includes that part of the population that has a stable and relatively high level of income. For example, in the United States the middle class makes up approximately 70% of the total population.
A market economy presupposes the presence and persistence of social inequality, since in the course of competition some economic entities achieve high levels of efficiency and income, while others, acting less successfully, suffer losses or even go bankrupt. Ultimately, this inequality is determined by the differences between market participants in their abilities, knowledge, and skills.
However, at a higher phase of its development, the market provides conditions for social equalization, but only within certain limits. There are two explanations for this:
The market by its nature is a form of compromise between its participants. Its results can be realized only under the condition of mutual, reciprocal satisfaction of needs;
at a higher stage of development, with market saturation and intense competition, sales participants are interested in high consumer incomes.
In some cases, the contradictions between social groups can be so great that the function of the social equalization market can be erased, then a strong state social policy is necessary.
Under normal conditions, the state only carries out market correction ka. It consists in the development and implementation of certain principles.
1. Determination of the degree of freedom. State policy should be based on providing freedom of activity, self-realization of group interests, but within the framework of adopted laws. The freedom and rights of some citizens are limited by the freedom and rights of other citizens.
2 Solving social problems by the state by coordinating the interests of various social groups, finding a compromise between them.
3. Joint responsibility of social groups in relation to those citizens of the country who are weak or limited in their labor capabilities.
Main goals social policy:
the formation of such levels of well-being among various groups of the population, the differentiation of which would not contradict the principles of social justice;
creation in society of such mechanisms for creating welfare that would stimulate the population to work effectively and develop the economy;
satisfaction of reasonable material needs of all members of society in amounts that maximally contribute to the development of the human personality.
Social policy performance indicators - level and quality of life of the population. The quality of life characterizes the general conditions in which people live, the entire range of its properties, reflects the degree to which people’s needs are met, comfort, convenience of living conditions, their adaptability to modern requirements, painlessness and duration
Concept "standard of living" to a greater extent characterizes the quantitative measure of people’s well-being, the level of consumption of material goods. To assess the standard of living, indicators such as consumption of basic products per capita or for one family, which are then compared with consumption standards. Indicators are important for assessing living standards consumption patterns (for food, durable goods, services, etc.).
Widely accepted standard of living indicators include cash income of the population per person or family.
Social policy includes two main parts: income policy and employment policy.
The essence, content, principles of the state’s social policy, its priority directions and main goals. Objects of social policy. Social protection, guarantees and support of the population. The main goals and priorities of social reforms in the Russian Federation.
- Essence, content and principles of social policy
- Priority directions of state social policy
- Social protection, guarantee and support of the population
- The main goals and priorities of social reforms in the Russian Federation
- Literature
1. Address of the President of the Russian Federation to the Federal Assembly on March 6, 1997. Section 3, clause 3.2.
2. Law of the Russian Federation "On the fundamentals of social services for the population in the Russian Federation."
3. Program of social reforms in the Russian Federation for the period 1996-1997.
4. Program of the Government of the Russian Federation "Reforms and development of the Russian economy in 1995-1997".
5. Social policy and labor market: issues of theory and practice. - M., 1996.
6. INTRODUCTION to market economics / Edited by A. Livshits and I. Nikulina. - M., 1994, chapter 13.
7. Fundamentals of a market economy. Ed. V. Kamaeva and B. Domnenko. - M., 1991, ch. 19.
8. Market economy. Textbook. - M.: Somintek, 1992, vol. 1, chapter 14.
9. Textbook on the basics of economic theory. - M., 1994, chapter 16.
10. Market economy. Textbook. - M., 1993, ch. 19.
To download work you need to join our group for free In contact with. Just click on the button below. By the way, in our group we help with writing educational papers for free. A few seconds after checking your subscription, a link to continue downloading your work will appear. |
|
Free estimate | |
Promote originality of this work. Bypass Antiplagiarism. | |
REF-Master- a unique program for independent writing of essays, coursework, tests and theses. With the help of REF-Master, you can easily and quickly create an original essay, test or coursework based on the finished work - Social Policy in a Market Economy. |
|
How to write correctly introduction?
Secrets of a Perfect Introduction course work(as well as an essay and diploma) from professional authors of the largest essay agencies in Russia. Find out how to correctly formulate the relevance of the topic of work, define goals and objectives, indicate the subject, object and methods of research, as well as the theoretical, legal and practical basis of your work. |
|