维韦斯的贫困救助理论:科学救助思想的开端

Vives’Poverty Relief Theory:The Beginning of Scientific Relief Thought

人类思考贫困问题已有几千年的历史,但维韦斯1525年创立的“贫困救助理论”标志着科学救助思想的出现,其核心是:有劳动能力的贫民必须劳动并教育子女自食其力,以此摆脱贫困。这一理论思想推动了“社会工作的教育化”,对西方社会工作影响巨大,对当代社会救助体系的构建也产生了深远的影响。这一理论还提出人们真正应该给予受助者的,不是单纯的慈善和捐赠,而是能够推动其走向自立。这让救济贫民的视角发生转变:从自发无序的私人和社会行为(单方的慈善、济贫)转向有组织有计划的国家行为和科学(双方合作的)救助。尤其是“支持与要求”(既要对贫民提供救助和支持,也要对其提出一定要求)的辩证原则,也已成为社会工作和社会政策的辩证原则。

Human beings have been thinking about poverty for thousands of years,but the“Poverty Relief Theory”established by Vives in 1525 marked the emergence of scientific relief ideas,which had a huge impact on the construction of contemporary social assistance systems.The core essence is that the poor and their children should not continue to be recipients of relief(he even opposes the establishment of fixed poverty relief funds).The poor with the ability to work have an obligation to support themselves,work for themselves,and educate their children.Only through this way can they completely overcome poverty.The essence of this idea is that what people should truly give to their beneficiaries is not what they are asking for(not simply giving or charitable donations or funding),but what can drive them towards independence.As a result,the perspective of poverty relief of human beings has changed:from spontaneous and disorderly private and social behavior(unilateral charity,poverty relief)to organized and planned national behavior and(collaborative)scientific relief.The effectiveness of his ideas in poverty relief far exceeds the era he lived in.Many specific measures proposed in his theory have been applied in the fields of contemporary social work and social policy.Contemporary social security is built on three principles:the principle of relief,the principle of insurance,and the principle of welfare.The principle of relief(using state taxation to assist the few most in need)emerged earliest in history.In 1601,Queen Elizabeth of England enacted the Poor Law Act,which marked the shift of poverty relief from individual and social behavior to state behavior.The ideological basis of this law is derived from Vives’s scientific relief ideas.Vives distinguishes the poor into two categories:those with work ability and those without work ability,emphasizing that those with work ability must work and completely overcome poverty through self-sufficiency.Those without work ability are provided with relief and material assistance by the state.Based on this idea,many countries in modern Europe have established Working Houses(correctional institutions for the poor with work ability)and Poor Houses(relief institutions for the poor without work ability).The former takes in the poor with work ability and forces them to return to employment through hard work,while the latter takes in those who are unable to work,and the government provides tax relief to them.In addition to categorizing the poor into two categories,his main contribution to scientific relief thinking lies in two aspects:One is the dialectical principle of“support and demand”(the relationship between poverty relief and work obligations):it is necessary to provide assistance and support to the poor(such as distributing relief funds),as well as to make certain demands on them(actively seeking employment and early selfsufficiency).The idea that while providing assistance to the poor,they should also be urged to work and support themselves deeply influences the construction of social relief policies in contemporary Western countries.The slogan“workfare instead of welfare”proposed by the welfare system reform in the USA clearly reflects the ideological imprint of Vives.The welfare state reform in Europe,such as Germany,proposes the slogan of“building a welfare state that promotes citizen initiative”,which also contains similar principles.Today,“support and demand”or“assistance and promotion”as the core ideology of neoliberal social policy has become a dialectical principle in social work and policy.The dialectical principle of“support and demand”is closely related to the dual functions of social workers,namely“help and control”(both to help clients and to execute state commissions).The second is that he proposed education for the poor and their children.In the government’s assistance to the poor,in addition to material assistance,Vives first mentioned“education”at the level of spiritual(non-material)assistance,proposing education for the poor and their children,with urban government departments responsible for supervising the education of their children.This idea has been referred to as the“educationalization of social work”by later generations,and has been further elaborated by two educators,Pestalozzi and Nohl,and has been preserved to this day,having a huge impact on Western social work.For example,in 1922,Germany issued the Imperial Youth Welfare Act,which stipulated that municipal and local governments must establish Youth Affairs Bureau;In 1991,this code was revised as the Children and Adolescents Professional Services Act.Today,the Youth Affairs Bureau has become the official social work professional organization responsible for coordinating and managing all matters related to children,adolescents and families in Germany.The Children and Adolescents Professional Services Act has become an important legal basis for social workers to work with children,adolescents and families.