GETTING PEOPLE INTO WORK: WHAT (IF ANYTHING) CAN JUSTIFY MANDATORY ACTIVATION OF WELFARE RECIPIENTS?

Anders Molander () and Gaute Torsvik
Additional contact information
Anders Molander: Oslo and Akershus University College of applied Sciences, Postal: Oslo and Akershus University College, of Applied Sciences, Postboks 4 St. Olavs plass, NO-0130 Oslo, Norway

No 03/13, Working Papers in Economics from University of Bergen, Department of Economics

Abstract: So-called activation policies aiming at bringing jobless people into work have been a central component of welfare reforms across OECD countries during the last decades. Such policies combine restrictive and enabling programs, but their characteristic feature is that also enabling programs are mandatory, and non-compliers are sanctioned. There are four main arguments that can be used to defend mandatory activation of benefit recipients. We label them efficiency, sustainability, paternalism, and justice. Each argument is analyzed in turn and according to a strict scheme. First we clarify which standards it invokes. Thereafter we evaluate each argument according to its own standards Finally we introduce competing normative concerns that have to be taken into account. In the conclusion we discuss possible constellations of arguments that make up the normative space for activation policies.

Keywords: work-welfare; social transfers; labour productivity; screening (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I38 J24 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 37 pages
Date: 2013-06-12
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-eff and nep-lab
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
http://ekstern.filer.uib.no/svf/2013/w.p3.13.pdf Full text (application/pdf)

Related works:
Working Paper: Getting People into Work: What (if Anything) Can Justify Mandatory Activation of Welfare Recipients? (2013)
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:hhs:bergec:2013_003

Access Statistics for this paper

More papers in Working Papers in Economics from University of Bergen, Department of Economics Institutt for økonomi, Universitetet i Bergen, Postboks 7802, 5020 Bergen, Norway. Contact information at EDIRC.
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Kjell Erik Lommerud ().