PHI202 Discussion

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Eastern Gateway Community College *

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202

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Philosophy

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Dec 6, 2023

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docx

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PHI202 Discussion What, if anything, do we owe to each other? We as a community have to decide what we owe each other. Having a sense of community is important because it builds a bond with its members and how each person has a responsibility towards one another that we don't have towards anyone else. Some of these responsibilities can include ensuring everyone's safety and well-being within the community. Rousseau thought that people should love their country and that their country should give them a reason to love it. “If we did not provide for one another, if we recognized no distinction between members and strangers, we would have no reason to form and maintain political communities. How shall men love their country '' We also have to take into consideration that with these programs and help some people who may qualify might not get the help when it's needed and some may not need the help but lie to get it regardless. Walzer, M. (n.d.). “Welfare, Membership and Need” Excerpts . When we look at Walzers distributive justice theory it examines the fairness of resource distribution within the welfare system, and the challenges individuals may face trying to obtain these services. On the other hand, Murray’s stance that is outlined in “losing ground” poses the idea that welfare programs can encourage dependency and this viewpoint implies that the struggles low income families face may be due to their shortcomings within the system. Do systems of redistribution help those who receive them or enslave those who pay into them? Walzer, M. (n.d.). “Welfare, Membership and Need” Excerpts .“In practice, redistribution is a political matter, and the coercion it involves is foreshadowed by the conflicts that rage over its character and extent. Every particular measure is pushed through by some coalition of particular interests. But the ultimate appeal in these conflicts is not to the particular interests, not even to a public interest conceived as their sum, but to collective values, shared understandings of membership, health, food and shelter, work and leisure...Here, then, is a more precise account of the social contract: it is an agreement to redistribute the resources of the members in accordance with some shared understanding of their needs, subject to ongoing political determination in detail.” Walzer understood that redistribution was more complex than many thought. Redistribution aims to provide for those who need it the most and to the collective and while it might not be fair, it helps those who need it the most. Murray argued that creating an effective system can be challenging for a few reasons such as The Law of Imperfect Selection, The Law of Unintended Rewards, and The Law of Net Harm. The law of imperfect selection highlights any criteria for a program that could exclude some and this leads to a constant widening of the program over time to the target population, the law of unintended rewards is a social transfer that will increase the incentive of the program by offering rewards and not punishments, like unemployment unintentionally encouraging and rewarding unemployed people, and last but not least the law of net harm argues that the more likely people are not willing to change their behavior the more

likely the program will not be successful, the success depends on people's willingness to to accept the conditions and accept the conditions to make it work. On the other hand some may argue that redistribution could stifle the economy and productivity. I do think redistribution is useful and when done right can be a great way to help those in need, but at what cost to others makes it worth it? I think when it comes to things like medical care, housing, and food these are things I believe assistance is the most needed and beneficial for our communities BUT I don't find it possible with the given conditions of today's community and society. Do we have a right to assistance? I do think we all have the right to assistance and help in the times we need the most. The recent event that i found was; https://calmatters.org/california-divide/2023/06/calworks/ Links to an external site. Welfare: As US tightens work rules, California considers loosening them Kuang, J. (2023, June 2). Welfare: As US tightens work rules, California considers loosening them. CalMatters. “Included in a recent state Assembly budget proposal, and in a bill the Assembly passed on Wednesday, is a plan to remake CalWORKs, the state’s federally funded cash welfare program that requires recipients to work or search for jobs using a list of approved activities. Under the proposed state changes, recipients would gain greater flexibility to participate in activities such as going to school, domestic violence counseling, addiction treatment or mental health care. The proposal, estimated to cost $100 million, also would lessen financial penalties if recipients violate work rules. That would make it likely that fewer recipients would get jobs and more likely California would miss a key federal work standard, for which it could be fined. The goals of the proposed changes are to address practical barriers to employment that CalWORKs recipients – some 340,000 of the poorest families in California – experience, and make it easier for more families to qualify for cash assistance.” This was the example I wanted to use for this week's discussion and relevant event. As I am a California resident this is also something that affects me in ways. In California our state lawmakers are posing the idea to ease up on the job requirements for the CalWorks program, this means they have less requirements to apply for this aide, this will likely allow people to continue receiving benefits without any conditions or less conditions than before, there is a possibility that congress might negotiate the debt limit because it may impact this process and the idea proposed. References

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