PAST PAPER QUESTIONS

Describe, in detail, how the government in a country you have studied have tried to reduce social and/or economic inequalities.

(KU 6 marks)Describe, in detail, the help poor people in the USA may receive from the government.

(KU 6 Marks)

WHAT IS MEANT BY SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC INEQUALITIES?

Economic InequalitiesIncome levels including welfare.Unemployment rates.Promotion.Social InequalitiesHousing.Family structures.Education.Health.Crime.

Help For Disadvantaged Groups USA

• DREAM - Education• SNAP - Poverty• TANF – Unemployment/Poverty• OBAMACARE - Health

Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)

• TANF is targeted at giving needy families help with childcare, transportation and other ways that will encourage people to find work or help them stay in work.

• The thinking behind the program is that employment rather than benefits are the route out of poverty.

SOME FACTS ABOUT TANFTANF spending in 2013 was $17.3 billion

In March 2013, there were 1,8 million

Families receiving TANF However a the total recipients of TANF was 4.1 million. (population 318million)

TANF Advantages/Disadvantages• Many of the jobs done by recipients on welfare

are in low paid, menial parts of the economy. • Many of the firms who hire workers under the

TANF and other welfare programmes are criticised for making profits at the expense of the taxpayer and for not creating full-time jobs that would end people’s dependency on the welfare programmes.

• Supporters say that the welfare programmes help people gain the skills and experience they need to help get them back into the job market.

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)  

• Food stamps are issued in the form of a debit card, that people can use to pay for groceries.

• Offers nutrition assistance to millions of eligible, low-income individuals and families and provides economic benefits to communities

• Eligibility depends on • The number of people in your household,• income, and resources (cash, bank accounts, etc…). • Income includes money earned from work.• It also includes benefits like Social Security,

unemployment.

2007 2013

Number of participants

receiving SNAP

26million 47million

Cost to the USA government

$33billion $80billion

SNAP eligibility rules require that participants be at or below 130% of the Federal Poverty Level.

As many as 80 percent of workers in Wal-Mart stores use food stamps. Walmart's employees receive $2.66 billion in government help every year

According to demographic data, 43% of SNAP participants are white, 33% are African-American, 19% are Hispanic, 2% are Asian, and 2% are Native American

Disadvantages• Can’t be used everywhere• Can only be used in certain locations. Only those vendors who

have signed up with the government to receive and process food stamps

• Invasion of Privacy• . For many, telling sensitive personal information to a stranger can

constitute an embarrassing invasion of privacy.

• Disincentive to Work• For some households working could mean the potential loss of

food stamps can provide a disincentive to seek additional work.

Disadvantages• Can Only Buy Food• Can only be used to purchase certain types of

food. • They cannot buy hot food or food that is meant to

be eaten within the store.• Low-income people who may not have access to

a functioning kitchen, this further limits their choices to food that can be eaten without access to a stove or refrigerator.

Advantages• SNAP is the largest program in the

domestic hunger safety net.• Provides a source of food for those

who need it the most.• Encourages healthier diets.• Ensures that people can only buy

food- not alcohol or tobacco.

‘Obamacare’• Exchanges

• Exchanges are markets where small businesses and people can shop for insurance and compare prices and benefits.

• The idea is that with a marketplace, where all products can be viewed together, insurance companies will be forced to lower their costs to gain business.

• Right of Appeal• Insurers need to have an appeals process for when they turn down a

claim

• Fast food chains• Chain restaurants have to list calories on their menus.

• Pre-existing Conditions

• No more "pre-existing conditions". At all. People will be charged the same regardless of their medical history.

The Dream Act• Grant conditional lawful resident

status to high school graduates who had grown up in the United States. After a period of time, and upon completion of a voluntary work programme, college degree or military service, they could apply for lawful permanent resident status.

The Dream Act• Opponents • Fear that giving amnesty to these immigrants who have broken

immigration law will only encourage more illegal immigrants to come into the U.S., knowing that their children will have a pathway to legal residence.

• Colleges offering concessions to undocumented students. As far as they are concerned, this amounts to rewarding people for committing a crime.

• it is not right for an undocumented person to pay less in tuition fees than a legal resident from another state.

• Supporters• It is a way of offering a future to the children of undocumented residents

which would benefit the country financially.• What else should be done with these young immigrants. They have no

connection to their home countries, many of them having been brought to the United States at very young ages, even in infancy