Social safety nets

The idea of social safety nets has evolved over time and these are intended to serve society in general by helping that part of the population that require some sort of assistance. Social safety nets such as Workers Compensation and Social Security disability benefits are two forms of compensation available to workers in the United States. These help to provide at least some form of the social safety net providing a modest income stream to persons who become disabled. 

Prevention Efforts before Recovery, Rehabilitation, or Restitution 

Prior to the advent of workers compensation, most employees injured on the job went uncompensated, creating an economic burden for themselves, their family, and society. Workers compensation was introduced to provide a remedy for this situation. Workers compensation laws provide that injured workers are compensated for then-lost wages, the cost of covered medical expenses, death benefits, and the cost of rehabilitation. Unfortunately, the laws do not provide for retirement plan contributions. 

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One of the main critiques of libertarianism is that it is a heartless and cruel philosophy, one that provides no social safety net to care for the least advantaged members of society, such as the poor, uneducated, diseased, or disabled. I accept this critique and will not rehearse it in detail here (Rawls 1971). A theory of justice should address the interests of the least advantaged members of society. A just state should do more than protect the rights and interests of its most powerful members it should protect its least powerful members. A theory of international justice should also address the interests of the least advantaged nations, and a just system of international agreements should provide economic, diplomatic, or military aid to nations in dire need. 

As if that weren t enough, our speeded-up economic life subjects most of us to enormous levels of work-related stress, while the lack of social safety nets means that most of us are constantly worried about money. Lack of sleep, tension at home and at work, the insistence on a constant round of activity unrelieved by rest—all of these are major contributors to depression. 

Social safety nets should be in place before a crisis occurs. Permanent, rather than ad hoc, social safety nets can more effectively protect the poor from the adverse effects of crises without compromising longer-term goals. During good economic times, social safety net instruments help to alleviate poverty among the chronically poor and those suffering from the effects of non-economic shocks (APEC 2001, p. 6). 

Indonesia JPS Operas Pasar Khusus (Social Safety Net Special Mailret Operations)... 

Indonesia JPS Kartn Sehat (Social Safety Net Health Card)... 

Besley, Timothy, Robin Burgess, and Imran Rasul. 2003. Benchmarking Government Provision of Social Safety Nets. Social Protection Discussion Paper 0315. Washington, DC World Bank. 

Cameron, Lisa. 2002. Did Social Safety Net Scholarships Reduce Drop-Out Rates during the Indonesian Economic Crisis Policy Research Working Paper 2800. Washington, DC World Bank. 

Chu, Ke-young, and Sanjeev Gupta. 1998a. Economic Reforms, Social Safety Nets, and the Budget in Transition Economies. In Ke-young Ghu and Sanjeev Gupta, eds.. Social Safety Nets Issues and Recent Experiences, pp. 63—93. Washington, DG International Monetary Fund. 

Coady, David. 2002. Social Safety Nets, Human Gapital and the Poor Evidence from Recent Program Evaluations. Paper prepared for the Asian Development Bank and Inter-American Development Bank Workshop on Social Protection for the Poor in Asia and Latin America Concepts and Experiences, Manila, October 21-25, 2002. 

Designing and Evaluating Social Safety Nets Theory, Evidence, and Policy Conclusions. Food Consumption and Nutrition Division Discussion Paper 172. Washington, DC International Food Policy Research Institute. 

Devereux, Stephen. 2000. Social Safety Nets for Poverty Alleviation in Southern Africa. Economic and Social Research Unit Research Report R7017. London Department for International Development. 

Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific. 2001. Strengthening Policies and Programmes on Social Safety Nets Issues, Recommendations and Selected Studies. Social Policy Paper 8. New York Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific. 

Gallagher, M. 2005. A Technology White Paper on Improving the Efficiency of Social Safety Net Program Delivery in Low Income Countries. Social Protection Discussion Paper 0522. Washington, DC World Bank. 

Mitra, Sophie. 2005. Disability and Social Safety Nets in Developing Countries. Social Protection Discussion Paper 0509. Washington, DC World BanL... 

O Connor, Thomas, and Lizbeth Silbermann. 2003. Using Technology to Improve Social Safety Nets Experience with Electronic Benefit Transfers in the US Food Stamp Program. Presentation to World Bank, March 26, 2003. 

Pasha, Hafiz A., Sumaira Jafarey, and Hari Ram Lohano. 2000. Evaluation of Social Safety Nets in Pakistan. Research Report 32. Karachi Social Policy and Development Centre. 

Rogers, Beatrice Lorge, and Jennifer Coates. 2002. Food-Based Safety Nets and Related Programs. Social Safety Net Primer Series 0225. Washington, DC World Bank. 

Sipos, Sandor, and DenaRingold. 2005. Social Safety Nets. In Nicholas Barr, ed.. Labor Markets and Social Policy in Central Europe The Accession and Beyond, pp. 89—134. Washington, DC World Bank. 

Namibia s Social Safety Net Issues and Options for Reform. Policy Research... 

Subbarao, Kalanidhi, Akhter Ahmed, andTesfayeTeklu. 1995. Philippines Social Safety Net Programs Targeting, Cost-Effectiveness and Options for Reform. Discussion Paper 317. Washington, DC World Bank. 

Sumarto, Sudarno, Asep Suryahadi, and Wenefirida Widyanti. 2002. Designs and Implementation of Indonesian Social Safety Net Programs. Developing EconomiesYlL-X (March) 3-31. 

Wietler, Katharina. 2007. The Impact of Social Cash Transfers on Informal Safety Nets in Kalomo District, Zambia A Qualitative Study. Social Safety Net Project. Berlin Ministry of Gommunity Development and Social Services and German Agency for Technical Gooperation. 

Peru—Social Safety Nets in Peru Background Paper for RECURSO Study. ... 

The World Bank Social Safety Nets Primer series is intended to provide practical resources for those engaged in the design and implementation of safety net programs around the world. New papers and translations are added regularly. All the papers and notes can be found at www.worldbank.org/safetynets. 

Social Safety Nets in World Bank Lending Milazzo 0810 ... 

Community-Based Targeting Mechanisms for Social Safety Nets Conning Kevane 0102 Sp ... 

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