Measuring Social Welfare: Theories and Challenges

Abstract

[Name] One the strong pillars in social work is the ability to think critically and formulating opinions about what is good and what is wrong. A social welfare system is a system which caters for individuals and families in need (Sen, 2018). Among the many questions one would ask concerning social welfare is; Are there universal parameters which can be used to measure the wellbeing of individuals all across the world? What measures are being put in place to protect resources meant for social welfare development? History has however changed how we view social welfare today this has been made possible by different theories. The first theory is Calvinism .Calvinism is a doctrine that has a biblical basis, but many reject some or all of them. The so-called “four points” Calvinists only accept total depravity, unconditional election, irresistible grace and the perseverance of the saints. According to this doctrine, man is a sinner and incapable of putting his faith in God by himself (Kuyper, 2008). Compared to other doctrines, God chooses his elect according to his will and not according to their merits, and all whom he chooses will come to him, and all those genuine born-again believers will persevere in the faith(Bouwsma, 2021). Believers of this doctrine believe in an unlimited atonement: Jesus died for the sins of the whole world and not only for those of the elect. “He himself is the atoning victim for our sins, and not only for ours, but also for those around the world.  The second theory is the classical liberalism. Classical Liberalism is not necessarily synonymous with capitalism. It refers to the conceptions of political freedom that were found at the end of the 17th century century in the writings of Hobbes and Locke. If these authors have focused their reflections on how to ensure individuals protection against violence and the safeguarding of property, Stefano Patrician specifies that they have, on the other hand, hardly thought of "access to the goods necessary for life, to share in the fruits of common work”. It is from this aporia that the author considers the criticisms addressed by Marx to human rights. The latter may protect “citizens” but not “humans as...