What is a paternalistic model?

Today, politicians, sociologists, economists and lawyers continue to argue about which model of the state can bring more benefits to social development. Some of them are supporters of liberalism, while others are trying to prove that only a paternalistic model of relations in the state and between individuals can underlie progress. Details of what the second model is will be described in the review.

Definition of Paternalism

The concept of “paternalism” comes from the Latin “pater”, which translates as “father”. By paternalism is meant a type of relationship that involves the patronage and guardianship of the elder over the younger. The paternalistic model characterizes:

1. Type of international relations.
2. The form of government and its ideology.
3. Vector economic development of society.
4. The direction of social policy.
5. Communication model: between citizens, in the field of medicine, law, in other areas of professional activity.

Consider the application of the paternalistic model of relationships in each of these areas.

Paternalism in International Relations

In international relations, paternalism is manifested in the fact that large countries provide patronage to weaker ones. Often, this approach is characterized by contacts between the metropolises and colonies. This was especially pronounced in British policy, for example, in relation to Australia. There, the British government sent missionaries who carried the Christian faith to savages in order to save their souls. And also introduced various technical innovations, without which, according to the British, the natives could not survive.

At first glance, such a paternalistic model carried a positive beginning. However, as a result of violence against an original culture and centuries-old way of life, the local population actually died out. And also the reason was that, along with care, there was a monstrous exploitation of both the Australians themselves and the natural resources of a distant continent.

State paternalism

At the state level, paternalism means that society is built on the principle of a single cohesive family. At its head is a wise, caring father, who is the state and its organs. People are seen as children and other family members who fully trust and obey paternal authority. At the same time, “children” are protected from social and economic disasters, but are completely deprived of independence.

The state of the paternalistic model is a distributor of goods in accordance with the hierarchy existing in society. As well as a generator of ideas that people should share in full. Non-governmental organizations, although they exist, only play the role of an instrument that strengthens power. Such a system was inherent in the USSR, other socialist countries, as well as states with a patriarchal tradition, such as Japan and Spain.

Economic paternalism

Under socialism, the paternalistic model in the field of economic policy means the leading role of the state in literally all economic areas. It is reflected in a number of principles, such as:

1. The responsibility of the state to citizens, which obliges it to take any administrative levers into its own hands to achieve its goals. Other entities - enterprises and public associations - act only on behalf of the state or are tightly controlled by it.
2. The priority of state goals over the goals of individual business units.
3. The primacy of administrative management methods over economic ones.
4. Responsibility for the use of state aid in accordance with its intended purpose.
5. Gratuitous support for citizens and enterprises.
6. Equality regarding the consumption of social goods and their general accessibility. Each citizen is provided with a minimum level of income and the volume of social services.
7. The dynamic development of the social sphere as the most important condition for sustainable development.
8. The supremacy of decisions of the central government regarding local.
9. The presence of an extensive public sector, protectionism in relation to industry, agriculture and the banking sector.
10. A large amount of social obligations inherent in budgets of all levels.

Paternalistic model of the social state

Such a model assumes a comprehensive responsibility of the state for the socio-economic situation of its citizens, care both directly for each of them, and for business entities.

It is inherent in the socialist countries where state and economic paternalism is established, as described above. This is possible thanks to the state monopoly on all benefits, including social benefits, as well as the principle of their centralized distribution. The social sphere is under special attention and control of the state.

The social sphere is understood as a complex of industries that determine the standard of living of people regarding their retirement benefits, education, health, culture, food services, utilities, public transport, and some types of communications.

Tasks, advantages and disadvantages of this social model

The main tasks inherent in the paternalistic model of social policy are:

1. Ensuring public welfare.
2. Raising the material standard of living of citizens.
3. Creating the necessary conditions to ensure equal social opportunities for different segments of the population (principle of social justice).
4. The construction of a social protection mechanism in the form of pension payments, scholarships and allowances.
5. Comprehensive development of the social sphere.

This system has both advantages and disadvantages.

• The advantages of the model include: social security and stability of the economic life of people.
• Its disadvantages are: a person’s great dependence on the state, distribution of benefits on an equalizing basis, the impossibility of economic prosperity, and the lack of entrepreneurial initiative.

Social Policy Instruments Under Capitalism

It should be noted that the elements of social paternalism are not unique to socialist states. They are also used in the capitalist system, although they are selective.

Various kinds of social standards act here as the administrative tool of the paternalistic model of social development. These include the following:

1. The definition of wages at a minimum level.
2. Guarantee of a living wage.
3. Calculation of the consumer basket for certain categories of citizens.
4. Appointment of a minimum amount of pension payments and scholarships.
5. The presence of a system of compulsory medical insurance.

In addition to the administrative levers already indicated, in countries with a liberal economy, such economic measures as:

1. Reduced tax rates in industries serving social facilities.
2. Subsidies given by the state to lower the percentage of taxation.
3. The adoption of housing mortgage lending programs.
4. Implementation of co-financing mechanisms.

Paternalistic model of communication

Such a model is inherent in relations in the field of public health services. This is a classic model of the relationship between doctors and their patients. It is characterized by full patient confidence in the representatives of the "medical workshop".In such relationships, the doctor plays the role of the father, who has high authority as a carrier of special knowledge and takes care of the patient, as his own child. He takes full responsibility for the health and life of the ward.

In this case, the patient acts as an absolutely passive side. He is not involved in decisions regarding the treatment process. The main disadvantage of this approach is that it deprives the patient of the opportunity to control his fate. He is not able to determine which of the treatment methods is most optimal for him.

This principle is rooted in the distant past, based on the provisions of the Hippocratic oath, according to which the physician undertakes to act in accordance with his skills and powers. In our country, the traditions of the paternalistic model of the doctor-patient relationship have been continued in the Oath of the Russian doctor.

Innovations in the doctor-patient relationship

Today, the tendency to abandon such a model is growing all over the world. A new type of interaction between doctors and patients is gradually being introduced. In the United States, in 1972, a bill was passed regulating the rights of patients to comprehensive information about their health status and treatment methods. Thus, the transition to the principle of cooperation, which was called “Informed Voluntary Consent”, is being carried out. Its main content is as follows:

1. Informed consent is the basic right of the patient and the protection mechanism of both himself and the doctor. Its prerequisite is the procedure for communicating with the patient (his representative) the treatment regimen and obtaining approval from him for specific examinations and treatment procedures.
2. For this, preliminary explanatory work is being conducted with the patient. The doctor in an accessible form gives detailed information about the alleged medical intervention, possible complications, various treatment methods. As well as the conditions for the provision of services.
3. Consent is taken in accordance with recommendations in the field of medical and research ethics.
4. The fact of voluntariness is characterized by the absence of pressure on the patient in the form of imposing on the medical worker of his opinion, misinformation, threat.

Life in the Soviet Union

A striking example of the paternalistic model of the state is the Soviet Union. To this day, not only in our country, but throughout the world, disputes about what was more in the realities of that era - comprehensive social justice and economic stability or suppression of initiative, violation of individual rights and the use of forced labor, do not subside. It is definitely impossible to answer this question.

On the one hand, many of those people who lived in Soviet socialist society recall that they felt a sense of unity with the people, respect for leaders, pride in great achievements. They had free housing, the opportunity to give children the best education in the world at the expense of the state, a stable salary, and rested in union vouchers in the best resorts. Basically, such an opinion can be heard from ordinary people.

At the same time, other people who lived at that time, for example, representatives of creative professions, say that they were subjected to ideological pressure, could not print or perform works from the stage that were ruthlessly censored. They could not openly express their opinion on the existing shortcomings in society, let alone criticize the authorities, and freely travel abroad. And also they did not have the opportunity to live in comfortable conditions, earn more money, drive foreign cars.

Conclusion

Both sides appear to be right in their own way. Both facts took place in the USSR. The question is, in the name of what a person decides to abandon economic stability and a quiet life.It is one thing if he wants to buy an expensive car and go abroad due to the successful conduct of several dubious financial transactions. Another is the desire and opportunity to conduct free economic and political activity for the benefit of one's own people and to be a rich person. Unfortunately, the second, with all the inherent benefits of a paternalistic system, is unattainable.