Potential liabilities: Social investment policy as biopolitics in New Zealand – An examination of the National Coalition government’s welfare policies

Using Michel Foucault’s theories of biopolitics, about risk and security, I examine the welfare policies of the National Coalition Government in New Zealand (2008–2017). This government attempted to mitigate risk by projecting possible challenges and solutions to ‘vulnerable populations’. Welfare wa...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Policy futures in education 2019-04, Vol.17 (3), p.421-437
Main Author: Stuart, Margaret
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
At Risk Persons
Behavior Change
Budgets
Costs
Disadvantaged
Early Intervention
Economic Factors
Educational Change
Foreign Countries
Futures (of Society)
Government Role
Neoliberalism
Policy Analysis
Political Attitudes
Public Agencies
Public Policy
Security (Psychology)
Social Services
Underachievement
Welfare Services
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Summary:Using Michel Foucault’s theories of biopolitics, about risk and security, I examine the welfare policies of the National Coalition Government in New Zealand (2008–2017). This government attempted to mitigate risk by projecting possible challenges and solutions to ‘vulnerable populations’. Welfare was re-defined in monetarist economic terms, as ways to ensure ‘small government’. Over the three terms of government they brought in changes across the education, and social services, with the intent of implementing new economic facets to reduce the cost to the state of beneficiaries and their dependent children.  Using cross-ministry data collection, they planned to identify the ‘job-shy’ parents and children deemed ‘vulnerable’. Social Investment aimed to change the behaviours of such populations, whom the National Coalition government deemed future potential liabilities for the state. Projecting costs over 20 or 30 years and modelling the costs of dysfunction would give the social agencies improved information. Early intervention would save the state welfare budget, and responsibilize the young children at risk of themselves becoming beneficiaries later in life.
ISSN:1478-2103
1478-2103
DOI:10.1177/1478210318810086