Talk:Transfer payment

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The move is a good idea but I don't think the definition from the other article was better because: it didn't include transfers to other orders of government; the terms "household" and "firm" were too restrictive; and I don't think that a transfer payment can be a good or a service. But I'm willing to be proven wrong about all of this. Greyfedora 22:45, 25 Nov 2004 (UTC)

I suppose one could argue that food stamps are transfer payments that are of a type of good as opposed to money, although economists have been known to consider them a particular type of money, especially as they're sometimes used inappropriately in barter, IIRC. If you want something that's a bit more direct, consider school lunches. Even in the Canadian health care system example, while the original transfer payments are from the federal government to the providences, they're a subsidy of the providences' own transfer payments of medicals services, correct? Given that money ultimately goes toward the purchase of goods and services, I'm not sure it's too important; the current version may be "good enough" in any case. - RedWordSmith 08:28, Nov 26, 2004 (UTC)

I certainly understand the reasoning behind taking it out, but I put the part of Canada back in because the term "transfer payment" has a very specific meaning in Canadian politics and the phrase is heard quite a lot. I can easily imagine someone looking up "transfer payment" expecting to find the specific Canadian usage rather than the general one which is, to my mind at least, rather technical. What I mean is that the Canadian case is not included just to provide examples but because in Canada that's what "transfer payment" usually means. I'm not sure if this is also the case in Australia. - Greyfedora 04:54, 4 September 2006 (UTC)

Australian terminology includes only transfer payments to individuals, which I think is standard. I've tried for a version that is useful to those looking for the Canadian term, but doesn't mislead others.JQ 08:14, 4 September 2006 (UTC)

I think your changes work quite well. Greyfedora 18:08, 4 September 2006 (UTC)