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Devolution and Welfare Policy Choices of Local Governments;Evaluating the Effect of the TANF Devolution on the State Policy Choices in the U.S.

이상록 1

1전북대학교

Candidate

ABSTRACT

Recently the Korean Government have made an effort to introducing the devolution. However it raises the controversy about the consequences of the devolution in the social welfare arena. Proponents argue that the devolution promote the creation of better welfare policies which fit local needs and preferences. But Opponents insist that the devolution exacerbates inequalities between the local governments and deteriorates welfare policies through provoking "the race to the bottom". While contradictory predictions toward the devolution are conflicting, there are no answers to the local government's welfare policy choices after the devolution in Korea. This paper analyzes the welfare policy(TANF) devolution in the U.S. and evaluates the effect of the devolution on the local government's policy choices. Using aggregate data about the 51 states' TANF policy data, we measure variations or conformities of the state policy choices after the welfare devolution. And then, we analyzes effects of state's major characteristics on the welfare policy choice after the devolution. The results suggest that welfare policy choices are very different between the states after the TANF devolution. However as years passed away, states' policy choices converge toward lowering the generosity, restricting the access to the welfare, and strengthening sanction rules. The results of the regression models suggest that state welfare policy choices are more strongly determined by state's political, economy conditions rather than the seriousness of the welfare problems. Experiences of the U.S. imply that the positive or negative effects of the devolution might be depended upon the local government's policy choices. In order to make good use of the devolution, blue-print and road map about the devolution should be made more concretely in Korea. And local government's policy making capacity should be raised up as soon as possible.

Citation status

* References for papers published after 2023 are currently being built.