In this paper I consider the normative arguments that justify a public social securiTY system as a redistributive device when goverment is concerned with individual utiliTY and poverty. Redistribution can be done using social security, income taxation or both. The main objective of this paper is to show how the consideration of a planner that cares about poverTY and utiliTY increases the desirabiliTY of social with respect to the case when the planner only cares about utility.
