PRIVATE SUPPORT AND SOCIAL-SECURITY

The issue is addressed whether assistance to persons in need can be le ft to the 'family' and the 'community'. In that case people depend on their social networks. The support a person receives through a given n etwork of social ties is examined. However, ties are diverse and subje ct to change. By means of a model of the dynamics of social ties, the conditions for adequate private support are analyzed. The sustainabili ty of private support over time is examined by incorporating the impac t on social ties of lending and receiving support. It is shown that su pport is only an effective alternative in a limited number of situatio ns.