Social Policy
De-commodification
In context of the welfare provision in Canada, de-commodification can be described as the degree to which these welfare services are provided to the Canadian inhabitants and are free of the market. De-commodification is an important concept because the states practicing this system provide welfare services like education, jobs and healthcare to all the citizens and this system has no linkage with the processes that prevail in the market. In a society where de-commodification is practiced as a system, all the individuals hold the right to a source of revenue that is not dependable on market. If we talk about the Canadian society, social welfare is indeed a crucial feature which provides for the people who are unable to earn a livelihood in the market place. This has helped the Canadians to replace the pre-industrial, dependable modes of social security from family unit, place of worship or mutual aid societies. Almost every Canadian has been affected by the social services and income security programs that are made available by the government at various levels. Nearly all the Canadians benefit from the Canadian system of income security and this is why Canada can thus be described as a predominant de-commodified state (Hick, 2002).
Corporatism, Liberalism and Social Democracy are the three worlds of welfare capitalism. These three worlds differ in their basic understanding and comprehension of de-commodification, stratification and public/private provision. Corporatism can be best described as a chain of command that is based on fraternity, class, and mutual aid....
This favors the group over the individual. In corporatism, an unequal social order is maintained and the state or the leader is thought to be the one who knows best what is needed by the people. De-commodification in a corporatist state is in fact, a supporter of the labor-force participation, work performance or strong family obligations. The corporatist welfare state has a dominant stratified and unequal system of social security where the skilled workers are provided more than the unskilled workers. The preferred social structures are hierarchy and patriarchy. A corporatist state also controls the system of insurance and favors status. Its goal is to harmonize the relations among classes (Esping-Andersen, 1990).
Liberalism holds individual at the highest place and gives it supreme importance. It has introduced a free market and laissez-faire and has also lessened the role of the state in economics. Canada is a liberal welfare state where the market has prime significance and is known to know the best. Liberalism has a de-commodification system in which means-tested programs are conducted to help the most deplorable and suffering individuals. Liberalism in Canada is practiced to promote individual freedom and equality. If truth be told, Canada has promoted a dual social security system in which labor force has been given utmost importance and is provided comparatively high benefits without the portrayal of any disgrace. The Canadian government has initiated programs which have toned down the effects of the market. It has also introduced programs that have helped the market to prevail (Esping-Andersen,…
