In recent decades, social policies have increasingly involved some form of means testing of eligible beneficiaries, ostensibly to enhance cost effectiveness. But, in general, universal social policies have been much more effective and politically sustainable, while policies targeting the poor, or the “poorest of the poor,” have often been costly and neglectful of many of those in need.
近几十年来，社会政策越来越多地采纳了某些检验合资格受助者的手段，成本效益提升只是表面因素。但总体而言，普遍性的社会政策政治持续性更强也更有效，而针对穷人（或“穷人中的穷人”）的政策则往往代价昂贵，而且忽略了很多人的需要。