Taking Social Development Seriously

Taking Social Development Seriously

Social policy, as an aspect of public policy, refers to ‘all forms of collective interventions such as fiscal, occupational, and social programmes that contribute to general welfare’ (Rein 1970). Stated differently, social policy is understood as referring to courses of ‘action’ or ‘inaction’ pursued by governments oriented towards social welfare goals, that is, some negative conceptions of avoiding harm or a positive conception of human well- being. The notion of well-being as human welfare is understood in a variety of ways. This may be in terms of the satisfaction of human needs, achiev- ing human capabilities or achieving equity or justice, all of which remain the subject of considerable theoretical and philosophical speculation. Central to the characterisation of social policy as an aspect of individual and social well being is the concept of need, which is critical for the study of social policy. This is mainly because the notion of welfare which is implicit in social policy is about need fulfillment or satisfaction. For this reason, arguments about social and economic rights revolve around the concept of need. Needs are universal, unlike wants which relate to individual preferences.1 Social policy concentrates on a range of human needs, extending from basic needs necessary to avoid deprivation, and others identified as social needs.

Human needs have been classified in a variety of ways. Doyal and Gough (1991), for example, distinguish between basic or survival need, intermediate needs, such as nutrition, sanitation and health care, and those preconditions for improving levels of welfare. Another well- known classification is Maslow’s (1950) hierarchy of needs, extending from physiological needs, security/safety needs and self-esteem to self- actualisation. Societies have different ways of meeting social needs (for example, the family, community structures or through institutionalised arrangements) and one can identify distinct policies and services linked to the social goals relevant to the satisfaction of normative or felt needs.2 As against normative needs identified by professionals and experts, felt needs relate to anything individuals or groups feel themselves to need.

The main thrust of social policy analysis has been to determine how we identify and measure these needs; above all, to analyse how societies provide for these needs collectively by the state and/or in other ways (for example, within the family or by voluntary charitable organisations). Stated briefly, social policy is concerned with a range of human needs and the social institutions devised to meet them. Table 2.1 sets out the link between Needs, Goals and Services which demonstrates the difference between Policies and Programmes.