Economist Podcasts Casting the net wider: remaking the welfare state
Mar 12, 2021
Sasha Nauta, Public Policy Editor at The Economist, discusses the transformative impact of the pandemic on welfare systems. She analyzes Biden’s $1.9 trillion relief plan and its push for more flexible benefits to support vulnerable workers. The conversation touches on the emotional toll of social distancing, highlighting the vital need for human contact and innovations like haptic technology. Nauta also delves into the evolution of language, humorously tackling the challenge of coining new terms for modern relationships.
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Demand for a Stronger Safety Net
- While it's uncertain if pandemic welfare changes will become permanent, there's certainly public demand.
- People have experienced vulnerability and now understand the state's potential.
Flexible Welfare System
- Governments should adjust welfare benefits based on the economy's health.
- Increase generosity during downturns and decrease during periods of growth.
Larry's Loneliness
- Larry, a 62-year-old accountant living alone in Chicago, misses human contact.
- A simple act like a nurse taking his blood pressure felt electric after months of isolation.
