Neoliberalism, Partiality, And The Politics Of Faith-Based Welfare In The United States

In: Studies in political economy: SPE ; a socialist review, Heft 84, S. 155-180

Abstract

In this article, the author attempts to define neoliberalism and explores the complicated political and intellectual motivations attributed to faith-based initiatives in the U.S. By explaining three key themes, the article opens to the overall importance in the contemporary study of political economy and controversy re the extent, geography and mechanics. The article then examines faith-based welfare and delivery of social service programs i.e. through the programs such as Salvation Army, Catholic Charities, etc. and the provisions in the 1996 Welfare Reform Act, focusing on discrimination factors, and the Evangelical Movements effect on elections and the notion of pervasive sectarianism. The author also discuses Marvin Olasky's views and the American inability to distinguish between the deserving and undeserving poor; building up to the 2000 Bush presidency and the administrations task to establish the institutional architecture for implementing faith-based welfare. The article shifts then to gauging the impact re these initiatives; the problems and second-guessing applied; before returning to study the factors of faith-based social policy and partial neoliberalism, including other facets and influences within a complicated political economy. Adapted from the source document.