Future of Social Security Policy

Ailsa McKay is Senior Lecturer in Economics at Glasgow Caledonian University

• Acknowledgements Glossary 1. Introduction: Social Security Reform – A Possible Strategy 2. Justifying Income Transfers 3. Social Security or Income Maintenance Policy? A Question of Definitions 4. ‘Basic Income’ or ‘Basic Income Maintenance’ – A Micro Approach to Policy 5. Why a Citizens Basic Income?: The Story So Far 6. Arguing for a Universal Income Guarantee -The Reformist Case 7. Arguing for a CBI - A Radical Policy Response? 8. Commodification v’s Non-Commodification - A Feminist Economics Perspective in Support of a Citizens Basic Income 9. Conclusion - The Way Forward? Agenda Bibliography

'The overall purpose is to draw attention to the confining nature of mainstream economic theo-rizing in the policy process and to outline how a feminist economic perspective could contribute to the development of a more inclusive and realistic understanding of state welfare arrangements.' - International Social Security Review'The main subject is an exploration of the Citizens Basic Income (CBI) proposal and how it presents an opportunity to reshape the future of social security provision in advanced capitalist States.' - International Social Security Review'McKay provides an excellent overview of the gender bias ofcontemporary social security policy and a challenge to incorporate a feministperspective into reform proposals that basic income advocates, as well as advocates of other approaches, would do well to meet.''The Future of Social Security Policy is a welcome addition to the basic incomedebate. Ailsa McKay, an economist at Glasgow Caledonian University, advancesa feminist critique of the neoclassical economic framework in which socialsecurity policies are traditionally assessed. Her book argues that this frameworkis biased in a way that prioritizes income-maintenance aspects of social securitypolicy above all others; as a consequence, programs are designed with the needs, behavior, and incentives of male breadwinners in mind. This approach marginalizes the experiences of other citizens, particularly women, and exacerbates gender inequalities.'- Basic Income Studies Vol. 1 [2006], No. 2, Article 13