SUSTAINABILITY OF SOCIAL ASSISTANCES AS A PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION POLICY IN FIGHTING POVERTY

Yıl 2012, Cilt: 12 Sayı: 24, 149 - 184, 01.12.2012

Mehmet Güneş

Öz

Poverty is “pronounced deprivation in well-being.” Typically poverty is then
measured by comparing an individual’s income or consumption with some defined
threshold below which they are considered to be poor. This is the most conventional view
– poverty is seen largely in monetary terms – and is the starting point for most analyses of
poverty.
Poverty may also be tied to a specific type of consumption; thus someone might be
house poor or food poor or health poor. The broadest approach to well-being (and
poverty) focuses on the “capability” of the individual to function in society. The poor
lack key capabilities, and may have inadequate income or education, or be in poor health,
or feel powerless, or lack political freedoms. Thus poverty arises when people lack key
capabilities, and so have inadequate income or education, or poor health, or insecurity, or
low self confidence, or a sense of powerlessness, or the absence of rights such as freedom
of speech.
Poverty is one of the most enforced topics for all countries. As a result of some
economic and social processes, the incidence of poverty has increased in the country. The
effects of financial crises and the process of globalization have caused new forms of
poverty in the World. So poverty is constantly growing by changing its shape and type. In
addition to this, it varies the criterias of being poor. So fighting poverty is increasingly
carried out under difficult conditions for public administrations. Countries are expected to
measure and analyze domestic poverty, and to identify and operationalize actions to
reduce poverty.
This study suggests that it is not sufficient to distrubute social assistances and it is also
very important to eradicate global and country poverty with the policies such as
international economic stability, encouragement of investments, reducation of inequality,
and improvement of instutional capacity. Poverty and social exclusion take complex and
multi-dimensional forms which require the mobilisation of a wide range of policies under
that overall strategy. Alongside employment policy, social protection has a preeminent
role to play, while the importance of other factors such as housing, education, health,
information and communications, mobility, security and justice, leisure and culture should
also be acknowledged.
The structural transformations of the recent decades have caused an increase in
poverty and the unequal distribution of income all over the world. The first aim of this
study is to analyze the increase in poverty in Turkey and to examine the poverty profile of Turkey with the effects of social assistances. The second aim of the study is to
present an assessment about of the social assistances.
This study is concerned with the social assistances that ways in which countries
provide a guarantee of minimum resources to residents who lack sufficient income from
other sources. The topic is “Social assistance' does not have a precise definition
internationally or locally. In some countries as Turkey social assistance extends to
embrace a wide range of non- resource-tested but categorically-targeted social aid for
such groups as orphans, immigrants and older people.
Poverty is related to, but distinct from, inequality and vulnerability. Inequality
focuses on the distribution of attributes, such as income or consumption, across the whole
population. In the context of poverty analysis, inequality requires examination if one
believes that the welfare of an individual depends on their economic position relative to
others in society.
For the purposes of this study, it is defined as the range of benefits and services
available to guarantee a minimum (however defined) level of subsistence to people in
need, based on a test of resources. In some countries a key element of the social safety net
comes through non-contributory citizens' benefits or pensions. These are not discussed in
detail unless they are also resource-tested.
Data is used in this study on social assistance expenditure are problematic: definitions
of what constitutes social assistance expenditure vary and accurate national estimates are
not always available. Estimates are presented of expenditure on social assistance as
proportions of GDP as a “social protection” and “social security” (as estimated by the
OECD). Comparative estimates of the number of people receiving social assistance are
also problematic for reasons similar to those for expenditure. Estimates are given of the
total numbers of beneficiaries (including dependents) as a proportion of total populations
Social protection systems also play a key role. One of these systems like a social
assistance which is one of the policies used by public administrations is aimed to get rid
of the poor people in this situation. But its continuity and sustainability are matter of
debate with the increasing costs and expanding scope of social assistances. Social
assistances are not considered as a sustainability aid if only aimed to manage the poverty.
These assistances cannot produce long-term solution to poverty.
All social assistance schemes have complex administrative structures, but there are
important differences between countries in how benefits are organized and delivered.
There are also differences of features of social assistance arrangements which might
influence labor supply behavior, including how long people might be entitled to
unemployment insurance, unemployment assistance and social assistances. The national
social assistance and minimum income schemes are important instruments in social
protection policy.
In this study there is a need to understand to what extent reliance on assistance has
been increasing. what patterns have emerged in how schemes are organised, and how
successful policy approaches to common problems have been in social assistances. Some
previous research has been carried out comparing social assistance schemes in Turkey.
In this study; it has been aimed to obtain new datas about social assistances for
fighting poverty on whether to actively or not. Also it has been discussed the validity of
social assistances. It has been shown what kind of problems is related to implementation
of social assistance which is not seen within the boundaries of the charity. At the end of
this study, various solutions are presented about this assistance policy which has created a problem for public authorities. The study will conclude with a discussion of key findings
about social assistance policy and policy implications on the issue.

Anahtar Kelimeler

Poverty, Social Policy, Social Assistance, Public Administration, Fighting Poverty

YOKSULLUKLA MÜCADELEDE SOSYAL YARDIMLARIN BİR KAMU YÖNETİMİ POLİTİKASI OLARAK SÜRDÜRÜLEBİLİRLİĞİ

Öz

Yoksulluk tüm ülkelerin en çok zorlandığı konuların başında yer almaktadır. Çünkü yoksulluk şekil ve tür değiştirerek sürekli yayılmaktadır. Ayrıca yoksul olmanın kriterleri de değişmektedir. Bu yüzden kamu yönetimleri için yoksullukla mücadele gittikçe daha zor şartlarda yürütülmektedir. Yoksullukla mücadelede kamu yönetimlerinin kullandığı politikalardan biri olan sosyal yardımlarla, yoksul kesimlerin bu durumdan kurtulmaları hedeflenmektedir. Ancak sosyal yardımların her geçen gün artan maliyetleri ve kapsamı yanında sürekliliği ve sürdürülebilirliği tartışma konusu oluşturmaktadır. Sadece yoksulluğu yönetmeyi amaçlayan sosyal yardımlar sürdürülebilir yardımlar olarak kabul edilmemekte ve uzun vadede yoksulluğa çözüm üretememektedir. Türkiye’de yoksulluk, öteden beri toplumun hayırseverlik anlayışı üzerinden anlaşılmaya çalışılmıştır. Bu anlayışın bir gereği olarak devletin yoksulluğu önleme politikaları kısmi ve süreksizdir. Ayrıca Türkiye’de yoksulluk ve sosyal yardımlarla ilgili olarak yapılan çalışmalar ve analitik incelemeler çok sınırlıdır. Yapılan çalışmalarda sosyal yardımlar ile tespit edilen sorunlar; sosyal yardımdan faydalananların bu yardımları suiistimali, sosyal yardımların ulaştığı nüfusun kısıtlılığı, sosyal yardım alanında tek yetkili kamu kurumunun olmayışının yarattığı koordinasyon sorunları, sosyal yardımlar için nesnel bir yoksulluk kriterinin olmayışı, sosyal yardım faydalanıcıları ile nesnel kriter ile belirlenecek tüm yoksulların bilgilerinin bulunduğu bir veri tabanının eksikliği, sosyal yardım miktarlarının yetersizliği, istihdama teşvik eden sosyal yardım programlarının azlığı, sosyal hizmet temelli çalışmalara verilen desteğin darlığı, özel sektör ve sivil toplum kuruluşlarıyla işbirliğinin eksikliği olarak görülmektedir. Bu çalışmada sosyal yardımların yukarıdaki sorunları eşliğinde yoksullukla mücadelede etkin olup olamayacağına ilişkin konular tartışılmıştır. Yardımseverlik sınırları içerisinde görülmemesi gereken sosyal yardımların etkin olabilmesinin şartları incelenmiştir. Ayrıca kamu yönetimleri için sorun oluşturan bu yardım politikasına ilişkin çeşitli çözüm önerileri getirilmiştir. Bunlar arasında sosyal yardımlarda mükerrerliğin önlenmesi amacıyla, sosyal yardım alanında faaliyet gösteren kurum ve kuruluşlarla koordinasyonun sağlanması, sosyal yardımlar için çerçeve niteliği taşıyan temel bir sosyal yardım yasası çıkarılması, sosyal güvenlik tabanının mümkün olduğu kadar geniş tutulması, sosyal güvenliğe ilişkin kayıt dışı istihdamın kayıt içine alınması ve sosyal yardım kapsamının sosyal güvenlik sisteminin içinde değerlendirilmesi gibi öneriler tartışılmıştır.

Anahtar Kelimeler

Yoksulluk, Sosyal Politika, Sosyal Yardım, Kamu Yönetimi, Yoksullukla Mücadele