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Incapacity, the Labour Market and Social Security: Coercion into ‘Positive’ Citizenship
Author(s) -
Larkin Philip M.
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
the modern law review
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.37
H-Index - 22
eISSN - 1468-2230
pISSN - 0026-7961
DOI - 10.1111/j.1468-2230.2011.00852.x
Subject(s) - punitive damages , coercion (linguistics) , legislation , citizenship , ideology , welfare reform , element (criminal law) , welfare state , social security act , social security , political science , state (computer science) , facilitator , social policy , welfare , law , sociology , political economy , politics , philosophy , linguistics , algorithm , computer science
The article examines the likely evolution of the social security system in the United Kingdom in the aftermath of the Welfare Reform Act 2007. This recent legislation is paradigmatic of the new ideology and modes of thought which currently form the foundation of the modern welfare state, an institution increasingly viewed as a facilitator for individual self‐sufficiency, as opposed to its traditional role of providing temporary financial support in periods of need. In addition, it is likely that the Act has promoted at least some changes in the concept of citizenship, in particular the contemporary emphasis on responsibilities as much as on rights. The article considers whether the Act itself has succeeded in meeting the rhetorical claims made for it by legislators during the passage of the Welfare Reform Bill through Parliament. The question of whether the Act contains a punitive or even coercive element is also examined.