Social Welfare
Year:2003 | Volume:3 | Issue:10 (Special Issue: Social Policy)|Papers Count:11

The name social policy is used to apply: 1- To the policies which governments use for welfare and social- Protection. 2- To the ways in which welfare is developed in a society.3- To the academic study of the subject.In the first sense, social policy is particularly concerned with social services and the welfare state. In the second, broader sense, it stands for a range of issues extending far beyond the actions of government - The means by which welfare is promoted and the social and economic conditions which shape the development of welfare. Remember that, the final goal is not only survival, but, provision of social conclusion & human dignity, to achieve a good society, is inevitably.

The concepts "Welfare" and "Security" while combined by the concept "Social" are of new ones born during modem developments. Because of such characteristic, they have got involved in modem social affairs and it seems impossible to make a clear and comprehensive definition for them so that all the experts have a common idea about it. But bringing their formations into account and their applications either, will lead us to a reasonable understanding of them. "Social Welfare" is used to indicate to a condition including economic, social and political one and focuses on human being, society accountability to human being and tries to promote the social potential as a whole in individual and group aspects."Social Welfare" has although many things in common with social welfare, but has a different attitude toward the problems. In this article, a clear definition is represented for any of these basic items

One of the most important problems that developing countries have confronted with, is the fact to improve the social welfare and the standard of people's lives without having any negative influence on economic development.The question which is brought up at this point is whether to put more emphasis on social development which is evaluated by social indicators or to focus only on economic development and postpone the people's vital needs. This article tries to discuss the following issues:1- Is there any relationship between social development and economic development?2- In case there is a kind of relationship, can we put a priority to one of them? Which one? And how? 3- Is there any supplementary relationship between two factors or not? The article believes that there is a kind of relationship and considers them as two faces of a coin interacting with each other, and in order to continue a positive relationship, it tries to represent a comprehensive approach toward development.

The Constitution of Islamic republic of Iran approved by a great number of Islamic scholars and scientists states a clear and obvious definition of social politics. So, having a general review of it will give us enough information about a collection of social policies which are accepted by religious scientists. Even the changes in this concept regarding the social policy fields and it's comparison with religious sources will emphasize their consistency toward social welfare and democracy in Islamic society. In this article, the writer has drawn the social policies framework according to Islam history and the documents of our prophet, Muhammad's. Living Style (Peace be upon him), and references to some other books and sources.

Social development is the process of fundamental changes in social structures and relations with the purpose of achieving the social integration, social solidarity and making the officials and those who have authorities to be responsible toward people and their clients.Social Policy, on the other hand, is called the mechanism of government intervention in social welfare.Characteristic of this process is determined according to humanity, economic and social indices in society. Similarly, in social development issues, we can take advantage of economic development literature including primary and secondary actors, institutions providing the development and those which have been established following the development, and finally encouraging and discouraging structures.Though so far, the government has been known as the main actor in social development from a historical view, but new field has been gradually expanded in social development literature which is the field of "Non Government Organization.The main hypothesis of new literature in social development is the fact that "nongovernmen organizations" as the carriers of social capital, can represent a high potential to promote the level of social development, The subject of this article is introducing these organization, their development renovation conditions, and overview of several international experiences.

Social development has got a complex, ambiguous and different concept among the social experts. This ambiguity can be observed in different research and articles written by either foreign scientists or domestic researchers. The investigation on the convention issued by the international conference of social development which is called the Copenhagen convention draw a boundary for this concept. If we look carefully to the trend of social development in Iran, we will realize an increasing rate of social disorders. Knowing about historical bases of these disorders in Iran will be of great benefit to help us find the main obstacles in the way of social development in Iran. Social development, however, seems an inevitable phenomenon in Iran that should be based on citizenship and stability.

This article is the summary of analyzing seven empirical research which can help make clear the social capital affairs in Iran, as follows:1- The current social capital condition.2- Analyzing the main political and religious factors influencing the social capital after the revolution in 1357. 3- The roles that different organization play.4- The deposit banks, school makers and other financial agent.5- And a general investigation about different changes in history happened since many years ago up to 1357.  

Public health is derived from socio-economic factors. Despite this fact that these factors are not in the realm of medicine science, but it should be declared that the majority of health development in recent century is merely because of socioeconomic developments rather "Medical intervention" alone. In this regard, we should pay more attention to the relation between the amount of income and health indicators.There is no wonder that the healthier population, the less imposed expenses and the more reasonable distribution system, which they eventually will lead to social health. But the social gap existing among different social levels may cause great number of crimes, violence's and other social disorders.In order to achieve a successful and fruitful social policy, we must take advantage of all available means and logic solutions in almost every aspect of life such as agricultural, educational, residential and so on to improve the health conditions. In other words, we should follow an international motto saying that, "Health for All," and draw the best benefit of available financial and political supports.The decision makers and program designers should choose a policy followed by much more investment in health cares, and concentrate mainly on people cooperation and provide officials fields of activities for them to get a better health condition and set up a democratic political space. Health is considered to be the first and the most important aspect of human being as a creature involved with the rest of environment and being under such a healthy condition they will be able to take advantage of other benefits in the world. That is why social policy should focus on the health problem as a must and fact.

Family is known as the most important source of assuring security and health for members of the society, and the main field for creating social problems. In this article we have tried to point to the changes happened to the social policies regarding giving services to families during the years, and an overview of family conflicts and children abasement have been drawn to attention.

Despite the fact that social working was founded 45 years ago in Iran, and thousands of experts in this field have been graduated from different universities all over the country, but the decision makers and policy designers of social services and welfare have not found a clear definition and field of activity for social programs. The writer has tried to make some suggestions about the relation between social worker and social policies.