SET3 SOCIAL STUDIES July 2009 – Welfare state TTO-4
This SET contains open and multiple-choice questions about the welfare state.
Start with the open questions! In brackets you find the marks you can get for each
subquestion. In total, there are 43 points to gain. GOOD LUCK!
PART A: OPEN QUESTIONS (start with this part!)
Question 1
Which term is described or is referred to below? (½ point per correct answer, (4) in total)
a.) The value people attach to work
b.) The division of society into social classes between which social inequality exists.
c.) This term refers to a form of economy with which the government does not intervene.
d.) The system of social security is divided into social insurances and …
e.) The name of the welfare Act that banned Child Labour in 1874 (Dutch term is also
allowed).
f.) The type (model) of welfare state in which there are hardly any social benefits.
g.) The type of unemployment that causes permanent job loss.
h.) A state with a limited role for the government; their only focus is safety and protection,
instead of genuinely taking care of their citizens.
Question 2
Read the 2 newspaper articles (from 2007) below and answer the next set of questions.
Unemployment falls sharply
The number of people out of work in the Netherlands accounted for just 5% of the
working population over the past three months, the national statistics office CBS said on
Thursday. A year ago, 6.1% of the working population were officially unemployed.
Inflation, by contrast, rose slightly to 1.4% in January, the CBS said.
Source: Dutchnews, 15 March 2007
Welfare benefit claims at 25-year low
The number of people claiming basic welfare benefits reached a 25-year-low in 2006,
CBS said on Wednesday. Some 302,000 people were claiming welfare last year, 27,000
fewer than in 2005. Claims reached a record high of 481,000 in 1996
Source: Dutchnews, 28 March 2007
a.) Name three conditions you have to fulfil in order to be officially unemployed? (2)
b.) Explain how it is possible that on the one hand we have unemployment and on the
other hand there is a shortage of workers. (2)
c.) Why doesn’t it necessarily mean that the real unemployment has indeed fallen in the
first three months of 2007 (see the first article)? Use CBS’ definition of unemployment
in your answer. (2)
d.) Explain 2 other factors, besides a growing economy (thus more jobs available), why
the number of benefit claims could have dropped in 2006. (2)
As you know, the situation has changed dramatically since 2007. We are in the middle of
an economic crisis and unemployment is on the rise again. Read the two recent articles on
the back of this page and continue with question 3
P.T.O.
1
This SET contains open and multiple-choice questions about the welfare state.
Start with the open questions! In brackets you find the marks you can get for each
subquestion. In total, there are 43 points to gain. GOOD LUCK!
PART A: OPEN QUESTIONS (start with this part!)
Question 1
Which term is described or is referred to below? (½ point per correct answer, (4) in total)
a.) The value people attach to work
b.) The division of society into social classes between which social inequality exists.
c.) This term refers to a form of economy with which the government does not intervene.
d.) The system of social security is divided into social insurances and …
e.) The name of the welfare Act that banned Child Labour in 1874 (Dutch term is also
allowed).
f.) The type (model) of welfare state in which there are hardly any social benefits.
g.) The type of unemployment that causes permanent job loss.
h.) A state with a limited role for the government; their only focus is safety and protection,
instead of genuinely taking care of their citizens.
Question 2
Read the 2 newspaper articles (from 2007) below and answer the next set of questions.
Unemployment falls sharply
The number of people out of work in the Netherlands accounted for just 5% of the
working population over the past three months, the national statistics office CBS said on
Thursday. A year ago, 6.1% of the working population were officially unemployed.
Inflation, by contrast, rose slightly to 1.4% in January, the CBS said.
Source: Dutchnews, 15 March 2007
Welfare benefit claims at 25-year low
The number of people claiming basic welfare benefits reached a 25-year-low in 2006,
CBS said on Wednesday. Some 302,000 people were claiming welfare last year, 27,000
fewer than in 2005. Claims reached a record high of 481,000 in 1996
Source: Dutchnews, 28 March 2007
a.) Name three conditions you have to fulfil in order to be officially unemployed? (2)
b.) Explain how it is possible that on the one hand we have unemployment and on the
other hand there is a shortage of workers. (2)
c.) Why doesn’t it necessarily mean that the real unemployment has indeed fallen in the
first three months of 2007 (see the first article)? Use CBS’ definition of unemployment
in your answer. (2)
d.) Explain 2 other factors, besides a growing economy (thus more jobs available), why
the number of benefit claims could have dropped in 2006. (2)
As you know, the situation has changed dramatically since 2007. We are in the middle of
an economic crisis and unemployment is on the rise again. Read the two recent articles on
the back of this page and continue with question 3
P.T.O.
1
