Welfare State

There are three main interpretations of the idea of a welfare state:

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• the provision of welfare services by the state.
• an ideal model in which the state assumes primary responsibility for the welfare of its citizens. This responsibility is comprehensive, because all aspects of welfare are considered; a "safety net" is not enough, and nor are minimum standards. It is universal, because it covers every person as a matter of right.
• the provision of welfare in society. In many "welfare states", especially in continental Europe, welfare is not actually provided by the state, but by a combination of independent, voluntary, mutualist and government services. The functional provider of benefits and services may be a central or state government, a state-sponsored company or agency, a private corporation, a charity or another form of non-profit organisation.

The term "welfare state" is believed to have been coined by Archbishop William Temple during the Second World War, contrasting wartime Britain with the "warfare state" of Nazi Germany.http://faculty-staff.ou.edu/M/William.L.Megginson-1/prvsvpapJLE.pdf

Related Topics:
William Temple - Second World War

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Welfare State: The development of welfare states ►