There is no doubt that the proceedings will be improved

The revenue of active solidarity (RSA) breaks new ground in the field of social policy. It increases the resources of the poor employees part-time workers or families head for which the premium for the job is only limited support. It strengthens and maintains the monetary incentive for the continuation of employment beyond twelve months initially considered; It introduces the principle of negative income, which, one day or another tax, could usefully unite various social assistance devices.

From the point of view of public decision in economic and social matters, the RSA innovation as much. He introduced the practice of the assessment by experimentation in the French system. Used in the Canada, the United States or the United Kingdom, in the process of rapid dissemination in emerging economies, long exploited intensively by researchers, but smaller scale this approach long delay to establish themselves in France. Its advantages are clear. Based on the comparison of a random sample of geographical areas or of individuals exposed to study reform and a sample of areas or individuals in the status quo, it is a virtually irrefutable method of assessment. The Constitutional Act of March 23, 2003 authorized this experimental approach. The RSA is the first application to large scale: more than 100,000 beneficiaries of the RMI over 33 departments and followed by periods of twelve months, and more.

What has been learned or confirmed First, that the effect on the return to employment was positive although modest ( 9), as expected it of a measure which consolidated rather that reformed the incentive device existing. Second, that the variations between departments and over time were strong, which introduced a certain vagueness in the results, vagueness duly taken into account is to underscore in the publication of the results of the evaluation. Finally, qualitative surveys with recipients showed that support employment, but also in the operative part of the RSA himself, was a major component of the reform.

Will it be used No doubt the experimentation has important lessons for local who now have to implement reform. It is also hoped that the assessment of the RSA will in future promote a more informed public debate on social transfers.

But it really fired the party and all the teachings of experimentation Unfortunately, not. The generalization of the RSA and the conditions of this generalization have been decided well too early in the process of experimentation. Many points could be clarified over time, thus helping to improve the system finally adopted. What was the good "slope" (rate at which activity revenues decreased the transfer to the title of the RSA and who has been arbitrarily set at 38) What was the impact of the RSA on working time On the sectors of activity On the return trips between employment and nonemployment Conducted over a period sufficiently long and accompanied by an efficient collection of data, this type of experimentation is a mine of information on the behaviour of individuals and the way to increase the well-being of the more modest. For example, many scientists are still working on the testing of social transfers Progresa program on the Mexico, established more than ten years, and accumulated materials that will prove valuable in social policy reform in this country.

Same hastily to generalize the experimental device of the RSA also could affect the implementation of the experiment itself. Combined with the novelty of this approach in the French administrative landscape, we realize now that it has led to lower efficiency and a lower reliability in the collection of data necessary for the study of the previous questions. But the experimentation of social policies is in its infancy in France. There is no doubt that the proceedings will be improved. There is no doubt that the opportunities to experiment will undoubtedly, starting with the RSA for less than 25 years.