essential automatic
executive political
liberal electoral
coherent foreign
domestic major
C Which of the phrases below do not associate with political
Parties?
executive branch; electoral process; different democracies;
administer justice; call the election; large membership; civil
occupations; provide public services; the majority party; carry
out manifesto; coherent ideology; win a mandate; hire an
employee; bring different interests together.
D Complete these sentences using the word combinations
From exercise C.
1. Parties have different significance in ……………..…….
2. Via the ………, parties determine the shape of
government.
3. In many countries of Western Europe, parties have
……… and a reasonably ……………………………...….
4. Having control of ……………………………..……, a
party will be able to carry out its manifesto.
5. In parliamentary systems, the nation’s leader represents
…………………………………………………………....
6. At election time, a party seeks to …………….. to govern.
7. Political parties …………………………... in any society.
E Learn the active vocabulary.
an essential feature to carry out manifesto
domestic and foreign policy to win a mandate
coherent ideology to obtain a working majority
an executive branch to count upon support
a majority of seats to be approved by
F Make a summary of the text.
UNIT 13
SOCIAL SECURITY
READING PRACTICE
A Scan Text 13.1 and answer the questions:
a) In which way can social security be provided?
b) What are the ultimate aims of social security?
c) In which way is the cost of social security financed in
most countries?
B Read the text. Find the information referring to:
1. the three criteria defining a social security system;
2. sources of financing the cost of social security;
3. fundamental purpose of social security.
Social Security
Social security is any of the measures established by legislation to maintain individual or family income. Social security may provide cash benefits to persons faced with sickness and disability, unemployment, crop failure, loss of the marital partner, maternity, responsibility for the care of young children, or
retirement from work. Social security benefits may be provided in cash for medical need, rehabilitation, domestic help during illness at home, or funeral expenses. Social security may be provided by court order (e.g., to compensate accident victims), by employers, by central or local government departments.
The International Labour Organization (ILO) uses three criteria to define a social security system. First, the objective of the system must be to grant curative or preventive medical care, to maintain income in case of involuntary loss of earnings, or to grant supplementary income to persons having family
responsibilities. Second, the system must be set up by legislation that attributes specified individual rights to a public, semipublic, or autonomous body. And third, the system should be administered by a public, semipublic, or autonomous body. An alternative but wider term for social security in the countries that are members of the European Union is social protection, which includes voluntary schemes not set up under
legislation. For example, in the United Kingdom, only statutory benefits are regarded as social security. The term social services is used to cover social security; health, education, and housing services. In the United States the term social security is restricted to the federal social insurance system which in Europe would be called social assistance. In some countries (for example, Denmark and the United Kingdom) the reduction of poverty historically has been a central aim of social security policy.
A report prepared by 10 international experts appointed by the director of the ILO, set out the ultimate aims of social security. Its fundamental purpose is to give individual and families the confidence that their level of living and quality of life will not be greatly eroded by any social or economic eventuality. This
involves not just meeting needs as they arise but also preventing risks from arising, and helping individuals and families to make the best possible adjustment when they are faced with disabilities.
Approximately 140 countries have some type of social security scheme. Nearly all of these countries have schemes covering work-related injury and old-age pensions. Over half have provisions for sickness, and nearly half have family allowances.
In most countries the major part of the cost of social security is paid for by proportional contributions of earnings from employers and employees. The maximum varies from around 50 percent above average earnings (e.g., France, Ireland, and Italy) to twice average earnings (e.g., Germany, the United Kingdom, and the United States) or higher (Norway).
COMPREHENSION
A 1. In what connection are Denmark and the United Kingdom
mentioned?
2. In what connection are France, Italy and Ireland mentioned?