Social policy: targeting or universalism?

Abstract

Public debate on social policies in Brazil has focused on the choice between targeted and universal programs. The article argues that the choice is unclear and misleading unless a previous decision is taken concerning principles of social justice. After distinguishing three different connotations of targeting - as residualism, conditionality or retification - and noting that universal programs may be compatible with minimalist social policy, the article goes on to make explicit a number of neglected options.

social policy; targeted policies; universal policies; distributive justice; welfare state