Deservingness

Abstract

AbstractDeservingness refers to which people living in a society are worthy of its benefits, specifically health care, education, unemployment, and standards of well-being. Is the society “inclusive” or “exclusive” in its approach to minorities, refugees, and immigrants? Inclusive societies embrace all of their residents Examples today are Sweden and Germany. In the United States, the United Kingdom, and France, the population and political coalitions are polarized over who is entitled to benefits. There is more consensus in Sweden and Germany for an inclusive approach and in the remaining countries for an exclusive sense of belongingness: Benefits are often denied to minorities and people of different ethnic, racial, and, religious groups–as well as gays and lesbians. To qualify for benefits in inclusive society, one must only “feel” him/herself to be willing to accept the country’s basic way of life. To receive benefits from a nation with an “exclusive” sense of identity, one should share the blood line, the religion, and the history of the majority population.