Rules to live by : the human rights approach to development

Globalization has brought on a change in perceptions of the function of government. Prior to the end of the Cold War, both capitalist and socialist countries shared an acceptance that government had a responsibility to oversee a process of redistribution that would bring about greater social justice and equity through reallocation of domestic resources and international cooperation. This responsibility demanded certain policies and priorities based on the redistributive nature of progressive taxation. In the traditional welfare state, taxes would be applied to the provision of social services by the state such as health care, education, and housing. In command economies, the economic and social rights of the.working class, and the eradication of poverty were supposed to be driving government policies.