1 方面委員から民生委員へ : 生活保護政策における歴史の分断と継続(I 共通論題=「格差社会」のゆくえ)
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概要
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The aim of this article is to propose some ideas to put the reform of the public assistance policy of Japan in historical perspective. The public assistance policy termed Kyuugo-hou (Poor Relief Law) was established on a large scale in 1932. Because the number of households receiving income support in the prewar period was far smaller than that in the postwar period, it has been commonly believed that the policy provided only limited relief for poor households. However, the system generated positive policy impacts in prewar Japan. First, there were fewer foundlings (street children) in metropolitan areas than in other countries in early stages of economic development. Secondly, property owners took the lead in the district committees (houmen-iin) when they supported the system, while neighborhood associations were successively founded in the 1920s. Immediately after World War II, the public assistance system was drastically reformed by GHQ. The name of houmen-iin was changed to community welfare volunteers (minsei-iin). Welfare offices took over the role of houmen-iin; for example, the offices introduced a means test to measure income. Minsei-iin had a reduced responsibility under the new policy, but still continued to play an important role in caring for the poor. Neighborhood associations were the source of minsei-iin in the postwar period as well as the prewar period. These days, households receiving income support have been increasing in number and staying longer in supported status because of the depression. In addition, elderly persons who are unable to work and single-female-parent households account for a large proportion of households receiving income support. It is well known that welfare offices arbitrarily apply official criteria when deciding which poor recipients qualify for benefits. From a long-term perspective, the following four reforms are necessary to the public assistance system. 1. The minimum standard of living should be decided not only by flow-oriented information (e. g., total income) but also stock-oriented information (e. g., ownership and use of assets) from the viewpoint of relative deprivation. 2. Counseling to recipients on public assistance is needed to shorten the period during which they remain dependent on public support. Such recipients include people whose normal relationships have been destroyed by heavy debt, domestic violence, and other severe problems. 3. The system should provide incentives to youth to seek employment. Particularly important are NEETs, whose number is believed to be still increasing. 4. Policies targeting the elderly and the handicapped should be improved through better involvement of neighborhood associations and NPOs. Systems such as neighborhood associations, which have been in operation since the prewar era, have continued to function effectively in local communities, and should contribute greatly to making public assistance policy more effective in the future.
- 社会政策学会の論文
- 2007-03-31
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