Welfare: The Social Issues In Philosophical Perspective

202 Pages·1972·14.77 MB·English

by  Nicholas Rescher

Welfare
The Social Issues in
Philosophical Perspective
NICHOLAS RESCHER
A well-known philosopher approaches
one of the most perplexing problems
faced by our society-social welfare
and makes a lucid, cooly reasoned, and
controversial appraisal of the ideology
of the present welfare state.
Using the analytical tools of philos
ophy and combining a concern for
human welfare with a hardheaded ap
praisal of the Iimits and Iiabilities of
welfare-supportive action at the govern
mental level, Professor Rescher argues
several heretical theses:
- That welfare as a social value is no
be-ail and end-ail, but a desideratum
of very limited scope
- That welfare-promoting programs as
presently conceived will almost certainly
fail to achieve professed objectives
- That the welfare state is not the pin
nacle of political evolution, but a phase
of development that can and should be
transcended.
(Continued on back flap)
Welfare
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NICHOLAS RESCHER
E L F A R E
The Social Issues in Philosophical Perspective
UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH PRESS
Library of Congress Catalog Card Number 70-158184
ISBN 0-8229-3233-4
Copyright © 1972, University of Pittsburgh Press
AIl rights reserved
Henry M. Snyder &Co., Inc., London
Manufactured in the United States of America
The quotations from Essays on uThe Welfare State" by Richard M. Titmuss are
used by permission of the publisher, George Allen & Unwin Ltd.
The quotations from The Other America by Michael Harrington are used
by pennission of the publisher, the Macmillan Company, © 1962,
the Macmillan Company.
FOR MARK
multum in parvo

Contents
Preface : ix
Introduction : xi
1 The Nature of Welfare 3
Man's Welfare : 3
Yardsticks for Welfare : 8
Who's to Judge? : 15
2 Social Welfare as a Value : 23
3 Social Welfare and Personal Happiness : 36
4 Quality of Lite and Social Indicators 60
5 Health and Welfare 78
6 Poverty : 92
Appendix to Chapter 6 112
7 Social Responsibility for Welfare . 114
8 The Political Dimension of Welfare · 130
Welfare and Planning : 130
Welfare and the Politieal Proeess : 138
9 Beyond the Welfare State : 147
The Welfare State : 147
Social Goals Beyond Welfare : 155
The Postwelfare State : 166
Name Index : 183
Subject Index : 185