Social policy

New right

Believe there should be less support from the gov. More individual responsibility, traditional family roles,

Married man tax allowance, cap of child benefit, child support agency, section 28 ( ban of teaching homosexuality in education)

ev. Doesn’t acknowledge diversity or change, creates inequality

Social democrats-

greater wealth fare provisions state should support the most needy and vulnerable, free NHS care, pensions/ state pensions, child benefits, statutory sick pay

Empirical research

help advise government on how to deal with social problems (ideological perspective influence how they will think)

Weber - relationship between sociology and the government

Try to influence policies

sociologists are academics not politicians

provide rigorous evidence based research

Social policy definition

any political proposal which usually tuns to acts and becomes laws designed to improve society

Feminists and Marxists

Sociologists and politicians should not have a relationship

Problems are caused by capitalism and the patriarchy needs fundamental changes to help society

e.g not protecting women reinforcing gender roles

Maintaining capitalism keeping workers healthy

Third way thinkers

Believe there should be a different approach state should encourage people to support themselves

Acknowledges diversity - adoption act, gay marriage, free childcare hours, loans for uni

ev. expensive, Difficult to implement

Can sociology have an effect?

Only if popular- e.g immigration policies Rwanda

Fits with the governments ideology

Government comes up with the polices and sociologist does the research- difficult to find specific and accurate research for polices especially positive ones