UNIT 2 INTRODUCTION TO SOCIAL WORK

CONCEPTS-I1
Contents
2.0

Objectives

2.1

Introduction

2.2

Social Service, Social Defence, Social Security and Social Welfare

2.3

Social Justice and Social Policy

2.4

Social Work and Social Action

2.5

Let Us Sum Up

2.6

Suggested Readings

2.7

Answers to Check Your Progress

2.0 OBJECTIVES
In the earlier unit, we learnt some concepts, which are used in connection with
professional social work training and practice. We continue the exercise and present
another set of concepts.
By the end of this unit, you should be able to :
know the meaning of various concepts such as social service, social welfare,
social work, social policy, social justice, social security and social defence;
define these concepts;
distinguish between these and other related concepts, wherever necessary; and
understand the significance of these concepts for social work teaching and practice.

2.1 INTRODUCTION
In this chapter we continue our study of concepts that are relevant to social work
profession. Here we deal with concepts such as social service, social welfare, social
work, social policy, social justice, social security and social defence. The modei-n
state has taken major responsibility in ensuring the welfare of its citizens. Voluntary
action by individuals and agencies also contribute to supplement these efforts. In
some cases voluntary agencies act as critic of government performance by raising
issues related to human rights and excessive government action. We must understand
the relevant concepts to understand these issues.

2.2 SOCIAL SERVICE, SOCIAL DEFENCE, SOCIAL

SECURITY AND SOCIAL WELFARE
Social Service
Every civilized society, in order to enable its meinbers to lead a emancipated, resl'lectful.
decent and dignified life and for that to prolnote proper personality development

through optimum realization of their potentials -talents and abilities, makes provision
for varied kinds of services like health, housing, education, recreation, etc. Broadly
speaking, the term service means "an act of helpfil activity; help" (Webster's
Encyclopedic Unabridged Dictionary 1996: 1304). The term help never means spoonfeeding. It has been etymologically derived from Teutonic 'helpan' which means aid
or assistance given to another through some kind of reinforcement or supplementation
of the other's actions or resources to make himher more effective in terms of
performance of socially expected roles as a responsible member of society (Webster's
Encyclopedic Unabridged Dictionary 1996:659). Thus social service in its broadest
sense means any aid or assistance provided by society to enable its members to
optimally actualise their potentials to effectively perform the roles expectedlprescribed
by society and to remove obstacles that come in the way of personality development
or social hctioning. According to H.M. Cassidy (1943:13) the term "social services"
meansUthoseorganized activities that are primarily and directly coqcemed with the
conservation, the protection and the improvement of human resources", and "includes
as social services: social assistance, social insurance, child welfare, corrections, mental
hygiene, public health, education, recreation, labour protection, and housing"
(Friedlander, 1963:4).
Social services thus are those services which are envisaged and provided by society
to its members to enable them to develop optimally and help them to function
effectively and to lead life of decency, dignity, and liberty. These services directly
benefit all the members of society, irrespective of their religion, caste, race, language,
region, culture etc.
The two other terms used in literature are: public services and social welfare services.
A finer distinction between 'public services' and 'social services' is that the former
are envisaged and organized by the state as an institution created by society to manage
its affairs, to the citizens whereas the latter are envisioned and provided by people in
society as enlightened persons for promoting human and social development. Despite
this fine distinction both the terms are quite often used inter- changeably and taken as
synonyms of each other.
At present when the state is gradually withdrawing from social sector leaving every
thing to market forces1corporations or corporate bodies or organizations and civil
society organizations, it is more appropriate to use the term 'social se'rvices' as
compared to public services.
Social welfare services are those 'sociallpublic services' which are specifically visualized
and designed for weaker and vulnerable sections of society to enble them to effectively
compete with other sections of society to join the mainstream.
The characteristic features of social services are as under:
1) SociaVpublic services are visualized and organized by societylstate.
2) These services directly benefit all sections of society.
3) These services have a very wide scope including every thing that has a direct
bearing on the quality of life of people.
4) These services aim at promoting human and social development, protecting human
rights of people and creating a sense of duty among them towards society .

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Social services are very important for social work because 1) Social work is concerned with promoting human and social development .
2) Social work seeks to enhance effective social functioning and create new social
institutions which are required ahd modify the existing institutions in order that
people may optimally realize their potentials and effectively contribute their mite
towards society's proper functioning.

3) Social work aims at promoting 'sustainable' development by conserving and

developing environment so that-enoughresources may be lefi for future generations
also to enable them to lead proper life.
Social Defense

In the present age of corrections in which reformative theory of punishment is being

strongly advocated mainly on the ground that 'criminals are not born but are made'
by adverse and oppressive social conditions that prevail in a social system. A concern
for the protection of society as also for promoting the interests of offender as a
human person belonging to a civilized society, is being widely shown too.
The term 'social defense' has both narrow and broad connotations. In its narrow
sense, it remains confined to the treatment and welfare of persons coming in conflict
with law. In its broad meaning, it includes within its ambit the entire gamut of preventive,
therapeutic and rehabilitative services to control deviance in general and crime in
particular in the society.
The aim of social defense is to protect society from the varied kinds of deviance
resulting into widespread social disorganization which seriously disi-upts the effective
functioning of society. In the absence of any well - thought out policy and planned
programme of social defense, the basic objective of any society to ensure happy and
peaceful living to all its members is seriously hampered. Thus social defense is a
planned deliberate and organized effort made by society to defend itself against the
onslaught of disruptive forces which endanger its law and order and thereby impede
its socio-economic development. With increasing incidence of acts of people in violation
of the prevalent laws of society, it has become essential to formulate policies and
plans &d organize programmes which may help in preventing the illegal activities and
treat and rehabilitate the offenders in order that they themselves may be able to lead
decent and dignified life and may contribute their best towards effective hctioning of
society.
Social defense consists of measures relating to prevention and control of juvenile
delinquency and crime, wel'fare services in prisons, after - care services for discharged
prisoners, probation services, suppreision of immoral traflic, prevention of beggary
and rehabilitation of beggars, prevention and control of drug abuse and alcoholism
and treatment and rehabilitation of drug addicts and alcoholics.
Correctional services which are part of social defence programmes are an important
field of social work practice. Social workers are working as care workers, probation
officers, managers of juvenile cadres.
Social Security

Security i.e., freedom from danger or risk is one of the accepted needs of people.
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endanger hidher safety and threaten the continuity of hidher income; and this security
has been guaranteed to people through varied kinds of institutions which have been
fast changing. Initially, this security was being provided through the institutionof family
and occupational guilds, and more so by the joint family system and caste in India;
but in course of time these basic social institutions started disintegrating. It was realized
by enlightened people that some deliberate efforts were required to be made at the
level of society to ensure security to its people. It & for the first time in 1935 in
England, that a pioneer Sir William Beveridge, came forward with the idea of 'social
security' as means of freedom against five great giants: want, disease, ignorance,
idleness and squalor. Since then social security has become very widely used in social
science literature.
In contemporary society, social security has become very important because
1) The traditional social institutions like joint family, caste, occupational guilds, etc.
are not able to provide the needed security.
2) There has been a revolution in science and technology leading to the emergence of
global village and promotion of tendency among people to frequently move, and
even migrate from one part of the world to another, frequent occurrence of
accidents, even those which are fatal, and exposure to varied kinds of diseases
including occupational diseases. All these expose people to varied risks.

3) There has been a sea change in values and orientations of people - from
collectivism to individualism, hm.spiritualism to materialism, and so on.
Hence, people today lack in basic human sensitivity and concern for others, and
are bothered only about themselves or at best their family members' or closely
related person's needs.
4) There is a sizeable section of society which is unlettered, unemployed and poor
leading a sub-human and insecure life.
Defining social security for the first time Sir William Beveridge (1942:120)
expressed the view: "The term 'social security' is used to denote the security of an
income to take the place of earnings when they are interrupted by unemployment,
sickness or accident, to provide loss of support by the death of another person,
and to meet exceptional expenditures, such as those concerned with birth, death
and marriage."
The International Labour Organization (1942:80) defines social security "as the
security that society furnishes through appropriate organization, against certain risks
to which its members are exposed."
According to Friedlander (19635): By "social security'' we understand a programme
of protection provided by society against those contingencies of modem life-sickness,
unemployment, old age, dependence, industrial accidents and invalidism - against
which the individual cannot be expected to protect himself and his family by his own
ability or foresight".
The National Commission on Labour in India (1969: 162) expresses the view: "Social
security envisages that the members of a community shall be protected by collective
action against social risks, causing undue hardship and privation ta individuals whose
private resources can seldom be adequate to meet them."

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Thus we define social security as the collective endeavours made by people in society
to protect as a matter of right their brothers and sisters against varied kinds of
unforeseen situations called contingencies such as biological like matemit>~,econornic
such as unemployment and bio-economic like old age, which imperil their working
capacity and disrupt their continuity of income and thereby impair their ability to support
themselves and their dependant family members with decency and dignity and which
they cannot face by utilizing their own as well as dependant's resources.
Major characteristic features of social security are:

1) Social security is the security deliberately provided by making collective efforts

by people in society in an organized manner as a matter of right.

2) This security protects against different types of contingencies or unforeseen

situations which may confront people fiom cradle to grave, from birth to death.
3) These contingencies may be purely biological such as maternity, or they may be
purely economic such as unemployment, or they may be bio-economic such as
super-annuation retirement, etc.

4) These contingencies imperil the working capacity of people and disrupt the
continuity of income and impair their ability to lead a decent and dignified life for
themselves as well as dependants in the family.
5)

It is not possible for common people in society to effectively face the challenges
thrown by these contingencies by utilizing their own aswell as their dependants'
private resources.

6 ) Collective endeavours made may or may not require the beneficiaries to contribute
- may be very nominally, for the benefits,which they may avail of in case of
occurrence of certain specified kinds of contingencies.
7) Social security benefits may be in the form of cash or kind or both.

8) Social security is both a mental state and objective fact. In order to provide
proper protection to people against contingencies, it is necessary that they should
have confidencethat benefits adequate in quality and quantity will become available
whenever required.
There are three major forms of social security: 1) Social insurance, 2) Public/social
assistance, and 3) Public or social services. In case of social insurance, prospective
beneficiaries are required to make some contribution, may be it is very nominal for
the benefits which they are given in case of occurrence of contingencies. These benefits
are so decided that they may be able to cater to assumed average need. However,
in certain cases, special exemption may be granted from the requirement of payment
of contributions.
Public / social assistance may be given in cash and / or kind to enable people to meet
the existing actual need and to lead a minimum desirable standard of living. A subtle
difference between public and social assistance is that public assistance is provided
through the state exchequer after assessing the existing actual need and ensuring that
prospective beneficiaries 11fil1certain prescribed eligibility requirements including those
relating to family responsibility and observance of morality. Social assistance is provided
to indigent people considered to be eligible according to certain specified criteria by
some civil society organizations to enable them to satisfl their basic minimum needs.

Publiclsocial services are made available by the statelsociety to promote hurnanlsocial

development. Sometime a very fine distinction is made between public and social
services -the former organized and provided by the state and the latter by society
through some civil society initiative.
Understanding of the concept of social security is essential for any professional social
worker because he/she works for promoting human and social development, increasing
peoples' active participation in various types of programmes directed towards
guaranteeing a minimum desirable standard of living to every one. In case people's
continuity of income is threatened and their capacity to work is impaired, they will not
be able to satisfi their own minimum needs, let alone the provision of any kind of
support to their family dependants and performance of social roles effectively by
utilizing their own resources.

Social Welfare
Ail civilized societies throughout the globe have been praying for the well being of the
entire mankind. In India our sages longed for 'May all be happy' and worked for
devising such institutions as could promote the welfare of all and strengtheningthem
from time to time. Derived from 'welfaren', the term 'welfare' means "the state or
condition with regard to good, fortune, health, happiness, prosperity, etc". (Webster's
Encyclopedic Unabridged Dictionary, 1996:16 19). While expressing his views on the
concept of welfare, Sugata Dasgupta (1 976:27) has observed: "By welfare we refer
to the entire package of services, social and economic, that deal with income support,
welfare provisions and social security, on the one hand, and view the whole range of
social services, on the other."
Social welfare is the people's well-being promoted by society through a wide variety
of ways and means. Wilensky and Lebeaux (1957: 17) define social welfare as those
formally organized and socially sponsored institutions, agencies and programs which
function to maintain or improve the economic conditions, health or inter-personal
competence of some parts or all of the population. According to Friedlander (1963:4),
" 'Social Welfare' is the organized system of social services and institutions, designed
to aid individuals and groups to attain satisfiing standards of life and health, and
personal and social relationships which permit them to develop their full capacities
and to promote their well-being in harmony with the needs of their families and the
community." In the opinion of Wilensky and Lebeaux (1 965: 11- 19): " two conceptions
of social welfare seem to be dominant today: the residual and the institutional. The
firstholds that social welfare institutions should come into play only when the normal
structures of supply, the family and market, break down. The second, in contrast,
sees the welfare services as normal, "first line" functions of modem industrial society,
the major traits which, taken together, distinguish social welfare structure are :

1) Formal organization
2) Social sponsorship and accountability
3) Absence of profit motive as dominant program purpose

4) Functional generalization: integrative, rather than segmental, view of human needs

5) Direct focus on human consumption needs,"
"Social Welfare in a broad sense", as conceived by Skidmore, Thackeray and Farley
(199 1 :3-4), "encompasses the well-being and interests of large numbers of people,

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Social Work

including their physical, mental, emotional, spiritual and economic needs.. . Social
welfare includes the basic institutions and processes related to facing and solving
social problems." While highlighting the aim of social welfare, Zastrow (1978:3)
observed: "The goal of social welfare is to hlfill the social, financial, health and
d o n a 1 requirementsof all individuals in a society. Social weware seeks to enhance
the social functioning of all age groups, both rich and poor. When other institutions in
our society such as the market economy and the family, fail at times to meet the basic
needs of individuals or groups of people, then social services are needed and
demanded."
Durgabai Deshmukh, the first chairperson of Central Social Welfare Board in the
country (1960:VII) unequivocally said: "The concept of social welfare is distinct
from that of general social services like education, health, etc. Social welfare is
specialized work for the benefit of the weaker and more vulnerable sections of the
population and would include skcial services for the benefit of women, children,
the physically handicapped, the mentally retarded and socially handicapped in
various ways."
We may, therefore, define social welfare as specifically designed system of services
and institutions aimed at protecting and promoting the interests of weaker and vulnerable
sections of society who left to themselves will not be in a position to maximally develop
and effectively compete to enter the mainstream and to live with liberty, decency and
dignity.
IrnpoMt characteristics of social welfare are:
1) It is a deliberately organized system of services and institutions.

2) These services and institutions specifically cater to the varied kinds of needs of
weaker and vulnerable sections of society.
3) The weakness qnd vulnerability of these sections may emanate not from any
personal fault of people belonging to them but from different types of physical,
mental, social and, moral handicaps that may encounter and adversely affect
them.
4) The aim of social welfare is to protect and promote the interests of these
sections to enable them to optimally realize whatever pmtentials, talents, abilities
they may have to carve out a dignified place for themselves in society, and to
effectively discharge the duties and responsibilities of positions which they happen
to occupy.

Check Your Progress I

Note: a) Use the space provided for your answer.

b)
1)

Check your answers with those provided at the end of this unit.

What is scope of social defense?

2.3 SOCIAL JUSTICE AND SOCIAL POLICY

Social Justice

The term justice eludes any precise definition. Dias (1985:65 - 66) rightly says: The
term justice is too vast to be encompassed by one mind. Krishnamurthy (1982: 18)
has also been of the view: "In spite of best efforts, it has not been possible to clearly
define justice. Though every society throughout human history has had some
arrangement for administering justice but its nature and form as also the methods and
manners of administration have been varied, depending upon the values and norms
that have prevailed in a particular society at a particular point of time. Every society
develops some system for protecting and promoting the socially accepted rights of
people. These systems, broadly speaking, are characterized by two types of
approaches: (1) protective and (2) promotive. Protective approach safeguards people
against abuse and exploitation, and promotive approach creates such conditions in
society as may spontaneously ensure equality, freedom, hternity and provide special
opportunities to those who for some reason (s) have lagged behind and are out of the
Aristotle defines justice as "virtue of the soul distributing that which each person
deserved". Its origin, according to Cicero, can be traced in the divine law of eternal
and immutable morality. Justice creates holiness among people. Justice the attribute of
God. It is the name of certain moral rules essential for promoting people's well-being.
People, therefore, are duty - bound to attach greater significance to justice as compad
to other codes fiamed to govern the mundane affairs of society. Justice towards people
in society has been equated with holiness toward God. It is truth in practice. Thus
justice is comprised of all vhtues which ensure conformity with the morally pmaibed
code of conduct. Justice, in the ultimate analysis, stands for doing away with injustice.
The term 'justice' is used today in two senses: (1) abstract sense, and (2) concrete
sense. In its abstract sense it refers to a code of conduct, legal as well as moral,
which promotes people's welfare.
In its concrde sense,it denotes the &thfid implementation of existing laws. Traditionally,
justice means the virtue by which we give to every man what is due to him /her as
opposed to injury or wrong. Today it means the protection of rights which people are
entitled to enjoy.
+

Justice is the hallmark of any civilized society. Justice has to be done at all costs .Fiat
Justicia Ruat Coleum (Let heavens fall, justice has to be done) has been the guiding
principle followed by all civilized societies.
Justice is of immense social significance. It gives rise to a sense of duty and concern
for others. It creates and sustains trust and confidence among people. It preserves
law and order. It fosters understanding and thereby promotes harmony and integration.
It strengthens unity and solidarity. It generates an atmosphere of peace and tranquility.
It underscores the principle of live and let others live or peaceful coexistence. It
accelerates socio-economic development, and ultimately optimizes the personal and
social functioning.
Social justice, a part of the overall fiamework of justice, implies within its ambit the
idea of 'just distribution' and not 'equal distribution' of benefits for the purpose of
creating a just society. Miller (1967: 1) has rightly observed: "The concept of social
justice is best understood as forming one part of the broader concept of justice in
general. As a special form ofjustice, it means what is sociallyjust and what is socially

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just keeps on changing with time and space. Allen (1950:3) rightly observes. "We
hear much today-of social justice. I am not sure that those who use the term most
glibly know very little what they mean by it. Some mean 'distribution' or 'redistribution'
of wealth; some interpret it equality of opportunity - a misleading term since opportunity
can never be equal among beings who have unequal capacities to grasp it; many, I
suspect, mean simply that it is unjust that any body be more fortunate, and more
intelligent than themselves, and mean that it is just - I would rather say benevolent,
that every effort should be made at least to mitigate the disparities of human inequality
and that no obstacle should be offered but rather help afforded, to practicable
opportunities for self improvement."
Social Justice is a dynamic term which provides sustenance to the 'Rule of Law' in a
democratic society. It helps in the establishment of a just social order by removing
varied kinds of inequalities with the help of law and ensures freedom for optimal
personality development of the individual. It has a tilt in favour of removal of structural
and systemic inequalities because the basic idea underlying social justice is equalization
by providing special opportunities to weaker and vulnerable sections of society who
either because of being subjected to social suppression and oppression or because o f
being the victims of varied kinds of disabilities and handicaps, are prone to be misused
and even abused and exploited. Left to themselves they will not be able to be the part
of mainstream of society. The expression social justice, in its narrow sense, means
rectification of injustice in personal relations of people and broadly, it refers to removal
of imbalances in political, economic and social life of people.
According to Justice Krishna Iyer (1980: 157-158), " Social justice is a generous
concept which assures to every member of society a fair deal. Any remedial
injury, injustice or inadequacy or disability suffered by a member for which he is
not directly responsible, falls within liberal connotations of social justice." The
concept of social justice is broad enough to include within its ambit not only
distribution of means, benefits, burdens, etc. throughout the society as it results from
its major social institutions (Miller, 1972:22) but also biological, social, economic
and cultural development of individual in a society (Govind, 1995:6).Justice Krishna
Iyer (1980) is absolutely correct when he says: "Social justice is no narrow legalistic
nostrum but, in its spacious sweep, confronts and conquers arrogant inequity and
entrenched privilege, restores repressed and oppressed men to their wholeness and
through plural strategies tinged with spiritual touches, offers the only healing hope for
& l g humanity."
Developing countries like India characterized by fairly widespread and serious problems
of unemployment, poverty, illiteracy, ill-health and insanitation, stand committed to
promote yelfare of people (for example, the Constitution of India in Article 38 clearly
adumbrates: "The State shall strive to promote the welfare of people by securing and
protecting as effectively as it may a social order in which justice, social, economic
and political, shall inform all the irstitutions of the national life"). Minimum needs of
people necessary for their empowerment or capacity building, will have to be satisfied;
and opportunities for lllest development of every one, and special opportunities for
people belonging to underprivileged sections of society not because of any fault of
theirs but because of inegalitarian and unjust social system which has been assigning
to them far inferior social status in social hierarchy based on as ascription, will have to
be given.
The term social justice as used here refers to adoption by society whose social system
l~as,through a deliberately evolved invidious arrmgement by which certain sections of

society have been subjectid to oppressions, suppressions, neglect and even rejection
and forced to live a life of miseries and sufferings at an inferior level, of such special
protective, remedial, ameliorative and promotive measures as may be instrumental in
removing their special disabilities and enabling them to lead a decent, dignified,
unfettered and respectfbl life characterized by equality, liberty and fraternity.
The general aim of social justice is to ensure the just and orderly fimctioning of society,
distribution of benefits according to entitlements contributions and needs of people
and imposition of punishments according to the severity of their deviations and damages
caused to society.
Specific objectives of social justice are:
1) To ensure that 'Rule of Law' prevails in society.
2) To guarantee 'equality of opportunity'
3) To provide special opportunities to weaker and vulnerable sections.
4) To ensure equality of outcome.

5) To perevent abuse and exploitation of weaker and vulnerable sections.

6) To preserve the religion and culture of minorities and to provide freedom to
pursue and propogate them without endangering public order and peace.
Wherever discrimination, abuse and exploitation exists in the name of caste colour or
creed in any part of the world, some kind of arrangement for socialjustice also exists
simultaneously. Even in the most developed country of the world, the United States
of America, a system of affirmative action in the form of special opportunities for the
development of Blacks and natives exists. In India, for its system of stratification
known as caste, special privileges have been given to Scheduled Castes and Scheduled
Tribes right from the time of enforcement of Constitution of India. In course of time,
they have also been extended to socially and educationally backward communities
currently known as 'Other Backward Classes'. Now various political parties in power
-some in states and some at the Centre, are vying with each other to extend the
benefit of social justice to economically backward upper castes and Muslims in order
to get some mileage in the impending elections.

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Social Policy

Policy, broadly speaking, refers to a framework within which and a stated course of
action by adopting which a vowed objectives are to be attained. Webster's
Encyclopedic Unabridged Dictionary (1996:1113) defines policy as "a definite course
of action adopted for the sake of expediency, facility, etc.. .... a course of a action
adopted and pursued by a government, ruler, political party, etc ..... action or
procedure conforming to or considered with reference to prudence or expediency" .
The term social'policy is quite often used loosely and unprecisely. Eyden (1 9695)
has been of the view that "social policy is taken as including those courses of action
adopted by the government which relate to the sbcial aspects of life, action which is
deliberately designed and taken to improve the welfare of its citizens." In the words
'of Kulkarni (1987:94), "The key word 'policy' implies adoption of a sagacious course
of action in order to achieve the desired objective(s) .....What is pragmatic is called
policy and what is based on principles is referred to as doctrimaire:" Yet at another
place he (1978: 15) writes that "the term 'social policy' has been used to denote

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Work Concepts-1 I

Emergence

Of

Social Work

Professional

three specific areas or aspects, namely : i) the social objectives of state policy,
including those of economic growth; ii) the policy with regard to the promotion of
social services as an integral part of a developing economy; (iii) the policy governing
promotion of social welfare services as a part of development plans."
Thus social policy means a framework within which or stated course by adopting
which the state as protector and promoter of the interests of society as also of human
rights of people wants to conduct its affairs so that the goal of welfare of all may be
promoted by organizing a series of services in diverse fields of nutrition, water supply,
education, health, housing, employment, recreation, etc.
The salient features of social policy are as under:
1) Social policy is the policy of state responsible for conducting the affairs of society.
2)

It states the framework within which and course of action by adopting which
affairs of society are to be conducted.

3)

It relates to people in general and concerns itself with provision of social services
which in their nature are direct and general.

4)

It aims at promoting human and social development.

A finer distinction has to be clearly understood here between social policy and
social welfare policy. While social policy concerns itself with the provision of
social services affecting the life and living of people in general, social welfare
policy relates itself to organizat'ion of specially designed social welfare services for
weaker and vulnerable sections of society to enable them to come at per with other
sections.
The scope of social policy is fairly wide. It includes within its ambit all such services
which have a direct bearing on the modus vivendi of people in a society and varied
kinds of related matters which may have a bearing on such services.
As observed by Kulkarni (1987:94), "Modemisation of society, implying adoption of
science and technology, raising the national standard of living ,building up civic and
political institutions to suit the changed and changing needs and problems, and generally
to work towards an open, pluralistic society of equal opportunity, could with all these
elements be regarded as the pith and substance of social policy."
The basic source of social policy is the Constitution of any country and varied kinds
of social enactments made there' under because the Constitution acts like a
fountainhead wherefrom flow all the directiohs in the light of which specific laws
promoting proper human and social development are enacted.
Social policy in India has been specifically enunciated in Part IV of the Constitution
entitled as Directive Principles of State Policy. There are specific Articles like 38
and 46 which provide for promotion of people's welfare within the overall framework
of social justice. It is noteworthy here that there has been a drastic change in social
as well as social welfare policy of the Government of India after 1991 - the year in
which the policy of liberalization, privatization and globalization has been adopted as
part of the Structural Adjustment Programme. .

Check Your Progress I1

Note: a) Use the space provided for your answer.
b) Check your answers with those provided at the end of this unit.
1)

What are the objectives of social justice?

2.4 SOCIAL WORK AND SOCIAL ACTION

Social Work
Social work which emerged out of the need to provide poor relief in a systematic
manner gradually grew into a semi - profession or profession having expert knowledge
and technical skills for effective provision of help to needy. In the initial stage it was
concerned with helping people to solve their psycho - social problems which obstructed
their effective social hctioning. In course of time, it was realized that social living as
it operates at the practical plane had three distinct and noteworthy levels: of individual,
goup and community. There was need for dealing with them separately by developing
three different methods of social casework dealing with individuals, social group work
with groups and community organization with communities. In course of time, they
were accepted as the three primary methods of social work. It was also realized that
while providing social work help by using these three methods, there was always a
need for providing some sociaVwelfare services and gathering validated knowledge,
and this realization finally culminated into development of two subsidiary/auxiliary
methods of social work namely, social welfare administration and social work research.
In course of time it was seriously felt that since psycho-social problems have their
roots in faulty social structure and system, and any client facing these problems cannot,
be held responsible for hisher problems, there was need for evolving and including
some weapon in the armoury of social work which could play a significant role in
bringing about desired changes in society, and thus emerged social action as an
auilliarylsecondary method of social work.
Researches in social services have continuously established that since various dimensions
of social reality are indivisible, social reality has to be taken as an integrated whole.
Consequently, social workers also thought of integrating the separate practice of its
primary and secondary methods and today there is well accepted notion of integrated
practice of social work involving the use of all the six methods according to situational
requirements.
In order to understand what social work is, it appears essential to present some
important definitions given from time to time.
Dr. Abraham Flexner (1915): Social work is "any form of persistent and deliberate
effort to improve living or working conditions in the community, or to relieve, diminish
or prevent distress, whether due to weakness of character or to pressure of external
cirtumstances. All such efforts may be conceived as falling under the heads of charity,
education or justice, and the same action may sometimes appear as one or another
according. to the point of view."

Introduction to Social
Work Concepts-l I

Emergence of
Social Work

Cheyney (1926) includes in social work all " voluntary attempts to extend benefits in
response to needs which are concerned with social relationship and which avail
themselves of scientific knowledge and employ scientific methods."
Helen L. Wilrner (1942: 121) expressed the view. "The prime fimction of social work
is to give assistance to individuals in regard to the difficulties they encounter in their
use of an organized group's service or in their performance as a member of an
organized group."
According to Arther E. Fink (1942:2) " Social work is the provision of services to
aid individuals, singly or in groups, in coping with present or future social and
psychological o≤ that prevent or arc likely to prevent full or effective participation
in society,"
According to Hodson (cited in Khinduka, 1962:4), Social work is "a form of service
which attempts, on the one hand, to help the individual or family group, which is out
of step, to attain more orderly rythm in the march of existence and, on the other, to
remove, so far as possible, the barriers which obstruct others from achieving the best
of which they are capable."
J. P. Anderson (1945) says: " Social work is a professional service rendered to
people for the purpose of assisting them as individual or in groups, to attain satisfjring
relationship and standards of life in accordance with their particular wishes or capacities
and in harmony with those of the community."
Helen I. Clarke (1945 :16) observes: "Social work is a form of professional service
comprising a composite of knowledge and skills, parts of which are and parts of
which are not distinctive of social work which attempts, on the one hand, to help the
individual to satis@his needs in the social milieu and on the other to remove, as far as
possible, the barriers which obstruct people from achieving the best of which they are
capable."
In the opinion of W.A. Friedlander (1963:4): "Social work" is a professional service
based upon scientific knowledge and skill in human relations which assists individuals,
alone or in groups, to obtain social and personal satisfaction and independence."

Boehm (195954) in the Curriculum Study sponsod by the Council on Social Work
Education expresses the view: "Social work seeks to enhance the social functioning
of individuals, singly and in groups, by activities focused upon their social relationship
which constitute the interaction between man and his environment. These activities
can be grouped into three functions, restoration of impaired capacity, provision of
individual and social resources and prevention of social dysfunction."
A perusal of the above definitions clearly indicates that it is very difficult to define
social work but still keeping in view its historical development from service to
professional service and its concern from helping people in need to changing the
social system, we may define social work as under:
"Social work is a specialized kind of work - honorary or paid, done by making use
of scientific knowledge and technical skills with humane and democratic outlook, to
render help to people in need to enable them to realize their potentials optimally, to
perform their social roles effectively and to live in a h e , decent and dignified manner,
particularly by introducing required changes in personality as well as social structure."
Important characteristics of social work as it exists today, pwicularly in India which
has had great social service tradition, are as following:

1) Social work is a specialized kind of work.

2) This work is performed by persons who are specifically trained to do this
work.
3) Educationltraining for social work equips social workers with some specialized
kind of scientific knowledge and technical skills and develops among them a
democratic and humanitarian outlook and orientation.
4) Social Work adopts the required strategy according to the nature of problem it
deals with and its root causes which may lie in the personality structure of the
person who is facing problem or in the unequalitarian and unjust social system of
which helshe is a part.
5) Strategy used in social work may introduce changes in the personality structure
of person faced with problem and lor bring about transformation in social structure
as well as system.
6) Social work promotes human and social development, ensures fblfilment of
human rights and guarantees performance of social duties - obligations towards
family members, people in the community and members of society at large.

7) Social worker may accept (and generally helshe does accept) compensation for
the work done by him/her either fiom those who engage h i d e r or take work
from h i d e r or from those who benefit fiom histher work. At times, moved by
altruistic considerations a trained social worker may be seen providing services
absolutely in an honorary manner.
Social Action
Every person by sheer virtue of living in society and therefore, being a social animal,
does participate in social action. The concept of social action, generally speaking is
comprised of three components: (1) Social being, (2) Social context or situation,
and (3) Inspiration.
As a concept, it originated in Sociology - the science of society. Action is to be
distinguished from behaviour in that it involves meaning or intention. "Social action in
Sociology is analysed in terms of typical actors in typical situations by identieing
actors goals, expectations and values, the means of achieving those goals, the nature
of situation and the actor's knowledge of that situation" (Ambercombie, Hill and
Turner, 1986:14). There are two main forms of action theory- 1). hermencutic and
2). positivist. Hermencutic theorists like Schutz uphold that action invariably has
meaning. Positivists like Parsons explain action in terms of goals and means defined
by social structure and internalized in course of socialization.
Social action in Social Work which is considered as one of its auxiliary methods is
different fiom that in Sociology. A review of available literature on social action reveals
that there is no unanimity on the concept of social action which has quite often been
confused with community organization, community work and community action. It
was Mary E. Richmond who in 1922 used this term for mass movement through
propaganda and social legislation. Since then, a number of definitions have been given
by various writers on the subject. Some noteworthy among them are as under:
Kenneth L.N. Prey (1945:348): Social action is "the systematic, conscious effort
directed to influence the basic social conditions and problems out of which arise the
problems of social adjustment and maladjustment to which our service as social workers
is directed."

Introduction to Social
W o r k Concepts-1 I

Emergence of PrOfessiOnar
Social Work

Elizabeth Wickendon (1956): "Social action is a term applied to that aspect of social
welfare activity directed towards shaping, modifying or maintaining the social
institution and problems that collectively constitute the social environment. Social
action is concerned with beware adjustment of the social environment to meet
recognized needs of individuals and to facilitate those relationships and adjustments
necessary to its own best functioning."
Arther Dunham (195852): Social action "may be defined as efforts to bring about
change or prevent change in current social practices or situations through education,
propaganda, persuasion or pressure, in behalf of the objectives believed by the social
actionist to be socially desirable."
W. A. Friedlander (1963:218) "Social action is an individual, group or community
effort, within the framework of social work philosophy and practice that aims to
achieve social progress, to modify social problems and to improve social legislation
and health and welfare services."

K. K. Jacob (1965:63): " Social action is essentially an effortaimed at as initiating

suitable changes and reforms to improve socio - economic conditions and to better
social climate."
M. V. Moorty (1968:217): "Social action is a social work technique which makes
entire community, or at least a large number of its members, conscious of the
unsatisfactory state of affairs and desirous of effective solutions."
Thus social action may be defined as a method of social work in which conscious
systematic and organized efforts are made under the guidance of professional social
worker, by some elite(s) and /or people themselves to bring about change in the
system which facilitates the problem solving and evil eradication and thereby improves
the conditions in society to enable people, particularly the weaker and vulnerable
sections, to optimally realize their potentials and effectively function as part and
parcel of the mainstream of society.
Important characteristic features of social action as used in social work are:
1) It is a method of social work which is practised in close collaboration with other
methods;

2) It aims at bringing about changes in social structure and system to enable people
realize their innate and inherent capacities and to participate in social functioning
at equal plane. The ultimate aim of social action is to promote equality -social as
well as economic and curb injustice, abuse and exploitation.
3) The process of social change sought to be introduced through social action may
be reformative in nature directed towards eradication of social evils or it may be
developmental geared towards creation of new institutions or strengthening of
the existing institutions threatened by vested interests of certain dominant sections
of society.

4) The method of social action seeks to usher in the desired changes in society
through conscientisation, awareness generation, promotion of social integration,
formation and strengthening of people's own organizations, formulation of
conducive policies, enactment of socially healthy laws, eradication of existing
social evils which thwart the desired development of people and retard social
progress.

i
1I

5) Social action in its basic nature is non - violent. Undoubtedly, there are times
when vested interests in society- the powers which exercise domination and
rule and want to perpetuate the status quo. They become impatient due to
organized strength of the people involved in social action and direct.and the
state machinery to suppress the voice of dissent, even by resorting to violent
methods. Though there are some writers like Britto (1980) who advocate the
conflictual nature of the social action process (may be because it creates some
kind of conflict between the vested interests of the privileged and rich and genuine
interests of the deprived and depressed) yet at the practical plane it has to adopt
and follow the methods and techniques which do not lead to violence and
bloodshed. Thus, by making two the types of approaches, of change of heart of
the dominant and powehl sections in society through exposition of varied kinds
of atrocities, abuses and exploitations of the suffering brethren, and social
transformation through changes in policies, laws and enforcement machmery, which
may result in promotion of human and social development.

6) Social action as a method contemplates that all power is taken away fiom the so
called 'do gooders' and it should actually be transferred to the people who are
the intended beneficiaries, and in order to achieve this, it takes recourse to desired
transformation in social policies, laws, plans and programmes.
Check Your Progress I11
Note: a) Use the space provided for your answer.

b) Check your answers with those provided at the end of this unit.
1)

2.5

How is the concept of social action in Sociology different from that in

Social Work?

LET US SUM UP

We conclude our introduction to the basic concepts related to social work and
disciplines related to it. As the course progresses you will come across these concepts
repeatedly and your understanding will become broader. When you go to the field,
practice the social work methods or conduct research there will be greater scrutiny
of these concepts.
Social security, social services, social welfare and social defense are primarily related
to government policy and programmes. Social services refer to any aid or assistance
provided to society to enable its members to perform effectively as a citizen. In other
words, it consists of all efforts to improve the human resources of the society. Social
defence on the other hand consists of all efforts by the society to prevent deviant
behaivour which can lead to social disorganization.
Social service is promotive whereas social defence is preventive and rehabilitative.
Social security refers to the protection of citizens from various risks like disease,
want, unemployment and idleness. Social welfare is the organized system of social

Introduction to Social
Work Concepts-11

Emergence of Professional
Social Work

services and institutions to provide the citizen with those services and goods which
will help the citizen lead a productive and satisfling life.
Social justice is a much discussed topic in our country. Clearly there are many
dimensions to the concept. Basically it means that every member of the society get
his or her due, that is a fair deal. It stands against all values which advocate inequality,
violence, entrenched privileges etc. social justice is part of the larger social policy
which is also discussed. Policy can be defined as the framework within which a
stated course is adopted to attain certain objectives.
Finally we discussed social work and presented a brief discussion on it. You will, of
course, be studying about social work in detail later. Though there are six methods in
social work we have discussed only one method, social action as the term is used
differently in different disciplines.

SUGGESTED READINGS
Allen, C.K. (1950), Aspects ofJustice, Stevens and Sons, London.
Anderson, J.P. (1949, "Social work as a profession", in Social Work Year Book,
Russel Sage Foundation, New York.
Beveridge (1942), Sir William, Social Insurance and Allied Services
presented to British Parliament.

Report

Boehm, W.H. (1959), Objectives ofthe Social Work Curriculum ofthe Future,
Council on Social Work Education, New York.
Cheyney, Alice (1926), Nature and Scope ofsocial Work American Association
ofSocia1 Workers, New York.
Clarke, Helen 1.(1947), Principles and Practice oflocia1 Work, Appleton CenturyCrofts, New York.
Dasgupta, Sagata, "Social Action", in Ministry of Social Welfare, Government of
India (Ed.), Encyclopaedia ofsocial work in India, Volume Three, Publications
Division, Government of India, New Delhi.
Deshrnukh, Durgabai (1960), "Prejke", The Planning Commission, Government of
India (Ed.), Social Welfare in India, Publications Division, Government of
India.
Dias, R.W.M. (1985), Jurisprudence, Butterworths, London.
Eyden, Joan L.M. (1969), Social Policy in Action, Routledge and Kegan Paul,
London.
Flexner, Abraham (19 15), "Is social work a profession"? In Studies in Social Work,
Vol. 4, New York School of Philanthropy, New York.
Fink, Arther E. (1942), The Field ofSocial Work, Henry Holt Co., New York.
Friedlander, Walter A. .(1963), Introduction to Social Welfare, Prentice Hall of
. India (Private) Limited, New Delhi.
Govind, K.B. (1995), Reformative Law and Social Justice in Indian Society,
Regency Publications, New Delhi.

International Labour Organisation (1942), Approaches to Sociul Security: An

International Survey, I.L.O., Geneva.
Khinduka, S.K. (1 962), "The Meaning of social work" in S.K. ~ h i i d u k (Ed.),
a
Social Work in India, Sarvodaya Sahitya Sarnaj, Jaipur.
Krishna Iyer, Justice V.R. (1 980), Justice and Beyond, Deep and Deep, New
Delhi.
Krishnamurthy, S. (1982), Impact of Social Legislation on the Criminal Law of
India, R.R. Publishers, Bangalore.
Kulkarni, P.D. (1979), Social Policy and Social Development, Association of
Schools of Social Work in India, Madras.
Kulkarni, P.D. (1987), "Social Policy", in Ministry of Social Welfare, Government
of India, (Ed.), Encyclopaedia of Social Work in India, Volume Three,
Publications Division, Government of India, New Delhi.
Ministry of Labour, Employment and Rehabilitation, (1969) Government of India,
Report of the National Commission on Labour in India.
Miller, David (1976), Social Justice, Clarendon Press, Oxford.
Pettitt, P. (1989), Judging Justice -An Introduction to Contemporary Political
Philosophy, Routledge and Kegan Paul, London.
Singh, Surendra (1 998), "Social Justice Through Reservation", Justification and
Strategiesfor Increasing Its Eflectiveness in Barathwal C.P. (Ed.), Social
Justice in India, Bharat Book Depot, Lucknow.
"

Skidmore, Rex A., Milton G Thackeray, and 0.William Farley (1991), Introduction
to Social Work, Prentice Hall, Englewood Chiffs, New Jeresey.
Wilensky Harold L. and Chales N. Lebeaux (1958), Industrial Sociey and Social
Welfare,Russell Sage Foundation, New York.
Wilensky Harold L. and Chales N. Lebeaux, Conception of Social Welfare in M.N,
Zald (Ed.) (1965), Social Welfare Institutions - A SociologicaI Reader,
John Wiley and Sons, New York.
Zastrow, Charles (1978), Introduction to Social Welfare Institutions - Social
Problems, Services and Current Issues, The Dorsey Press, Homewood,
Illinois.

2.7 ANSWERS TO CHECK YOUR PROGRESS

Check Your Progress I
1)

Social defense consists of measwes relating to prevention and control ofjuvenile

delinquency and crime, welfare services in prisons, after - care services for
discharged prisoners, probation services, suppression of immoral traffic,
prevention of beggary and rehabilitation of beggars, prevention and control of
drug abuse and alcoholism and treatment and rehabilitation of drug addicts
and alcoholics.

Introduction to Social
Work Concepts-11

Emergence of Professional
Social Work

Check Your Progress n

1) The specific objectives of social actions are :

To ensure that 'Rule of Law' prevails in society.

ii) To guarantee 'equality of opportunity'

mi To provide special opportunities to weaker and vulnerable sections.

iv) To ensure equality of outcome.

v) To prevent abuse and exploitation of weaker and vulnerable sections.
vi) To preserve the religion and culture of minorities and to provide fieedom to
pursue and propagate them without endangering public order and peace.

Check Your Progress I11

1)

Social action in Sociology refers to the pmess in which an actor does particular
act in a specific social situation. This act has a goal and the action itself is
governed by the norms and values of the society where this action is taking
place. Social action as a method of social work is conscious systematic and
organized efforts made under the guidance of other1 or people themselves to
bring about positive change in the system.