What is resource sustainability?

Sustainability: How should we distinguish between means tested & universal welfare, and what methods could be used to improve resource allocation?

• I am asking about both ends of the bell curve: how should we allocate resources to those that deserve them the most, and how can we make savings by reducing spending on people who do not need it? Should someone who has lived healthily get wider access to government health care , as they have by their own volition reduced the likely hood of incurring common medical costs? Should government contributions to health care / education etc tail off as personal income increases? Whilst overall this should not be be target towards any one country we should be considering economically stable, developed nations. I expect each answer will likely draw from the authors own experiences of their own country, please try to ensure ideas are internationally applicable.

• Answer:

  Merely an opinion, but if we assume enlightened self interest, then those with greater wealth will spend a portion of their earnings on their own well being and indeed most disease, crime, illiteracy, etc. all correlate with socio-economic status.  Thus, we need not worry about the "right end" tail.  Instead, we concern ourselves with whether government has a vested interest in providing care to those unable to purchase their own.  My opinion is yes, in that it decreases greater societal costs. So means testing is a method to ensure that some minimal services are available to the indigent (i.e. the greater the poverty, the more services are available).  In other words, means tested services ensure universal welfare (even if of a minimal kind).  Was that the question?