Social Development: From Social Development: From Targeted Policies on Poverty Targeted Policies on Poverty Reduction to Comprehensive Reduction to Comprehensive

Social PoliciesSocial Policies

BOB DEACONBOB DEACON

Professor of International Social PolicyProfessor of International Social Policy

University of SheffieldUniversity of Sheffield

www.gaspp.orgwww.gaspp.org, , www.cris.unu.eduwww.cris.unu.edu, , www.shef.ac.uk/socstudieswww.shef.ac.uk/socstudies

ICSW Conference, TOURS July 3ICSW Conference, TOURS July 3rdrd 2008 2008

OVERVIEW OVERVIEW • Globalisation HAS negatively affected welfare state building in Globalisation HAS negatively affected welfare state building in

much of the Global Southmuch of the Global South

• This has primarily been through the This has primarily been through the politicspolitics of globalisation of globalisation

• This has been because the This has been because the global politics of poverty alleviationglobal politics of poverty alleviation has pushed aside the has pushed aside the global politics of welfare state buildingglobal politics of welfare state building

• In trying to rebuild a In trying to rebuild a global politics of welfare state buildingglobal politics of welfare state building we we are faced with two problems:are faced with two problems:

a) The globalisation of the middle class in some a) The globalisation of the middle class in some developing/transition countries developing/transition countries

b) The impasse in global politics with a Global North failing in its b) The impasse in global politics with a Global North failing in its promises while some in the Global South wish to be independent promises while some in the Global South wish to be independent of aid from North of aid from North

Historical OverviewHistorical Overview• 1960-1970. The promise of post-colonial and state lead 1960-1970. The promise of post-colonial and state lead

development.development.

• 1980-1995. The “destruction” of the embryonic (and partial) 1980-1995. The “destruction” of the embryonic (and partial) welfare states of Latin America and Africa by the rise of the welfare states of Latin America and Africa by the rise of the global politics of targeted poverty alleviationglobal politics of targeted poverty alleviation

• The role of the World Bank’s beneficiary indexThe role of the World Bank’s beneficiary index

• The role of the WTO/GATS and IFC in private education, health The role of the WTO/GATS and IFC in private education, health and pensions.and pensions.

• The MDGs are framed within this tradition of focus on the poorThe MDGs are framed within this tradition of focus on the poor

The Globalised Middle Class The Globalised Middle Class

• The failure to understand the lesson of inclusive welfare The failure to understand the lesson of inclusive welfare state building (The CENTRALITY of middle class buy-in)state building (The CENTRALITY of middle class buy-in)

The aid business has played a part in seducing the The aid business has played a part in seducing the professional and middle class of developing countries professional and middle class of developing countries from the role they used to occupy:from the role they used to occupy:

“ “Seduced by access to the dollar economy they prioritise Seduced by access to the dollar economy they prioritise acquiring skills for the requirements of the aid acquiring skills for the requirements of the aid cartel”…“the intellectual and entrepreneurial class cartel”…“the intellectual and entrepreneurial class must choose between a self-referential and parasitic must choose between a self-referential and parasitic post-developmentalism, and national(ist) development post-developmentalism, and national(ist) development projects…….building the revenue base of the public projects…….building the revenue base of the public economy” (Gould J 2004)economy” (Gould J 2004)

Back to and Beyond Back to and Beyond Copenhagen: Global Alliance Copenhagen: Global Alliance for Welfare Statesfor Welfare States

• Backcloth of Copenhagen 1995 CommitmentsBackcloth of Copenhagen 1995 Commitments

• World Bank 2005: Soc Dev. New Frontiers of Social World Bank 2005: Soc Dev. New Frontiers of Social Policy (TSSD) (Dani) (De Haan) (WDR 2004, 2006) Policy (TSSD) (Dani) (De Haan) (WDR 2004, 2006)

WDR 2004 “Services for Poor People are Poor WDR 2004 “Services for Poor People are Poor Services”Services”

• ILO and EU 2007: Injection of Decent Work as MDG ILO and EU 2007: Injection of Decent Work as MDG Target. Decent Work includes employment, labour Target. Decent Work includes employment, labour standards, social dialogue and social protectionstandards, social dialogue and social protection

• Help Age International: Social Pensions (Livingstone Help Age International: Social Pensions (Livingstone and 2008 post-Livingstone). Africa commitments. and 2008 post-Livingstone). Africa commitments.

ContinuedContinued

• Kellokoski 2007 Northern Donors: New Consensus Kellokoski 2007 Northern Donors: New Consensus on Comprehensive Social Policy for Developmenton Comprehensive Social Policy for Development

• UNDESA 2007 Social Policy Guidance NotesUNDESA 2007 Social Policy Guidance Notes

• UNDESA/ILO/UNICEF?/ICSW? 2008 A Global Social UNDESA/ILO/UNICEF?/ICSW? 2008 A Global Social Floor (Ortiz..Floor (Ortiz..

• Paid for in part by Increased ODA to government Paid for in part by Increased ODA to government budgets via a strengthened ONE-UNbudgets via a strengthened ONE-UN

2008: Challenges to the New 2008: Challenges to the New Global Consensus on Social Global Consensus on Social Policies Policies • Are the disconnected global middle class catered for by Are the disconnected global middle class catered for by

even the new consensus?even the new consensus?

• BRICS and uncertain contribution to global discourse on BRICS and uncertain contribution to global discourse on desirable social policydesirable social policy

• Stalling of Gleneagles G8 (2005) promises and failure to Stalling of Gleneagles G8 (2005) promises and failure to increase ODA via government budgetsincrease ODA via government budgets

• South-South Co-operation and wish to end dependency on South-South Co-operation and wish to end dependency on Northern ODA and opposition to UN reform Northern ODA and opposition to UN reform

• (Climate/Eco/Food crisis cross cuts development prospects)(Climate/Eco/Food crisis cross cuts development prospects)

The Policy Agenda for The Policy Agenda for FutureFuture• Refocus on effective accountable state building (including Refocus on effective accountable state building (including

infrastructure of law, courts, civil servants, revenue infrastructure of law, courts, civil servants, revenue raising) (Aziz…)raising) (Aziz…)

• Refocus on (universal) public services (health, education Refocus on (universal) public services (health, education and social security) for middle class/salaried civil servants and social security) for middle class/salaried civil servants as well as the pooras well as the poor

• Refocus on Southern Regional Cooperation with a Social Refocus on Southern Regional Cooperation with a Social Dimension (Regional Social Policy: Ortiz…)Dimension (Regional Social Policy: Ortiz…)

• Continue to pursue transfer of Northern funds to Southern Continue to pursue transfer of Northern funds to Southern governments/regions and a stronger UNgovernments/regions and a stronger UN

• (Connect this agenda to climate/eco/food crisis?)(Connect this agenda to climate/eco/food crisis?)

Why do NGOs North and South Why do NGOs North and South need to support this agenda?need to support this agenda?• NGOs need effective states to be effective NGOs need effective states to be effective

lobbyistslobbyists

• NGOs work best when supplementing state NGOs work best when supplementing state welfare effort not replacing it.welfare effort not replacing it.

• NGOs have a huge potential to work at regional NGOs have a huge potential to work at regional

level to counter regional elites.level to counter regional elites.

• Disorganised global migration consequent upon a Disorganised global migration consequent upon a failure to address these issues impinges on Social failure to address these issues impinges on Social Work efforts in the North and South.Work efforts in the North and South.

SourcesSources• Deacon, B (2007) Global Social Policy and Governance, SAGE,Deacon, B (2007) Global Social Policy and Governance, SAGE,• Deacon, B. Ortiz, I. Zelenev, S. (2007) Regional Social Policy, UN DESA Deacon, B. Ortiz, I. Zelenev, S. (2007) Regional Social Policy, UN DESA

Working Paper No 37, ST/ESA/2007/DWP/37 (Working Paper No 37, ST/ESA/2007/DWP/37 (www.un.orgwww.un.org) ) • Deacon, B, Van Langenhove L, Yeates, N. (in preparation) Global Governance, Deacon, B, Van Langenhove L, Yeates, N. (in preparation) Global Governance,

Regional Integration and Social Policy, Routledge.Regional Integration and Social Policy, Routledge.• Cohen, S. (2004) Searching for a different future: the rise of the global middle Cohen, S. (2004) Searching for a different future: the rise of the global middle

class. Durham, NC, Duke University Pressclass. Durham, NC, Duke University Press• Gould, J. (2005) The New Conditionality: The politics of poverty reduction Gould, J. (2005) The New Conditionality: The politics of poverty reduction

strategies, London, Zed Pressstrategies, London, Zed Press• Global Social Policy Digest in GSP updates: See Global Social Policy Digest in GSP updates: See www.icsw.orgwww.icsw.org • Ortiz, I (2007) Social Policy Guidance Notes: New York, UNDESAOrtiz, I (2007) Social Policy Guidance Notes: New York, UNDESA• Yeates, N. Deacon, B. (2006) Globalism, Regionalism and Social Policy: Yeates, N. Deacon, B. (2006) Globalism, Regionalism and Social Policy:

framing the debate. UNU-CRIS Occasional Papers 0-2006/6framing the debate. UNU-CRIS Occasional Papers 0-2006/6 www.cris.unuwww.cris.unu • Yeates, N (ed) (2008). Understanding Global Social Policy, Policy Press.Yeates, N (ed) (2008). Understanding Global Social Policy, Policy Press.• Wiman R et al (2007). Comprehensive Social Policies for Development. Min For Wiman R et al (2007). Comprehensive Social Policies for Development. Min For

Affairs, Finland Affairs, Finland www.stakes.fiwww.stakes.fi/social-policies-for-development/social-policies-for-development