Differences between residual and institutional welfare: The Wilensky-Lebow and Titmus model.

Residual welfare and institutional welfare are two perspectives on when and for whom social welfare should work. Residual welfare is the view that the state provides temporary help only when the family and market do not function properly, while institutional welfare is the view that welfare is provided to all citizens by viewing it as a normal and routine function of modern society.

This is a comparison that comes up very often in social welfare policy theory and social worker exams, so it is important to accurately distinguish between the categories of each scholar.

What is the dichotomy of Wilensky and LeBeau?

The American Wilensky and LeBeau divided social welfare into two concepts in 『Industrial Society and Social Welfare』 in 1958. The residual concept holds that social welfare intervenes supplementally only when the normal supply channels such as family and market collapse. Therefore, the target group is narrow, such as the poor, often requires a means test, and it is easy for recipients to be stigmatized.

The institutional concept believes that social welfare should be established as a social system from the beginning because everyone in an industrialized society experiences risks such as disease, unemployment, and old age. The target is universal and the nature of receiving it as a right is strong.

It is easy to remember that the two concepts differ in how broadly the object of welfare is viewed and whether welfare is viewed as an exception or a daily routine.

What is different about Titmus’s trichotomy?

British Titmus divided social policy into three models.

• Residual welfare model: The state intervenes temporarily only when markets and families fail.
• Industrial Achievement Model: Welfare is viewed as an auxiliary means of the economy, and wages are paid according to work performance and productivity. Methods linked to contribution, such as social insurance, are close to this.
• Institutional redistribution model: Provides universal services and redistributes resources according to needs outside the market.

Titmus is also known as a scholar who pointed out that welfare is not only achieved through government public assistance, but also through financial welfare such as tax reductions and occupational welfare provided by companies. So, it is good to understand the trichotomy along with his broader perspective on welfare.

If you think of an intermediate model based on work and contribution between Wilensky and LeBeau's dichotomies, the structure can be seen at a glance.

차이를 외울 때는 한 단어 키워드로 줄여 두면 시험장에서 바로 떠오르더라고요. 비교 결과를 결론 문단에서 다시 한 번 정리하는 방식이 저한테는 도움이 됐어요.

Why do policy values conflict with each other?

The residual model can save finances and focus on those who really need it, but it also raises issues of stigma and blind spots. The institutional model is advantageous for rights and social integration, but it imposes a large financial burden. Depending on which values such as efficiency, equality, freedom and solidarity are prioritized, different policies emerge for the same problem.

This model explains why welfare states have developed in different ways. Social welfare policy Studying with developmental theory deepens your understanding.

In the end, it would be a good idea to write down in your answer that the choice depends on what values society considers more important, rather than which model is right. In reality, most welfare states operate by mixing elements of various models.

What if we substitute our country’s system into the model?

Systems such as the National Basic Livelihood Security System, which surveys income and assets and helps households below the standard, have a strong residual nature. Social insurance, such as national pension or employment insurance, in which premiums paid through work are linked to wages, is close to the industrial achievement model, and systems that pay regardless of income, such as allowances given to all children of a certain age, have an institutional nature. The answer becomes deeper if you point out that several models are mixed even within one country.

When writing your answer, you can reduce mistakes by organizing the scholar, year, and model name in a table first, and then adding the target, salary standard, and pros and cons of each model one by one. At the end, you can clearly show that you understand by substituting one or two aspects of our country's system. Wilensky and LeBeau's dichotomy, Titmus's trichotomy, and examples such as public works and free meals are condensed into 3 pages Campus-style social welfare dichotomy and trichotomy material can be helpful to those who want to quickly review key categories ahead of the social welfare policy theory exam.