Ideological Disagreement over the Welfare State
Political Ideologies
Two major bases of ideological and conceptual disagreement over the contemporary welfare state.
Since its emergence in the late 19th century, the notion of welfare state has largely been evolving (especially from the second part of the 20th century) and has been an object of conceptual and ideological disagreement in the field of political thought. As a system of government where the state within its social protection remit, a set of social policies, aims to guarantee a minimum level of economic and social well-being to its citizens, the contemporary welfare state is based on the principles of equality of opportunity, equitable distribution of wealth, and public responsibility for those unable to avail themselves of the minimal provisions for a good life. Its main concern is to provide a minimum of income security and essential services to the entire population. According to Asa Briggs in The Welfare State in Historical Perspective (1969), a welfare state is a state in which organized power is used deliberately to alter the play of market forces in three directions ; first, by ensuring a minimum income for people and families regardless of the value of their work or property ; second, by reducing insecurity by enabling individuals and families to cope with some difficult circumstances (such as disease, old age, unemployment) ; and third, by ensuring that all citizens, whatever their class or social status, receive a number of quality social services. Thus, here, we comprehend the welfare state as a state in which the power is deliberately used to modify the free play of economic and political forces in order to effect a redistribution of income. and not according to Fine 's conception of a “positive government”, i.e., a government whose prerogatives are extended further than its alleged natural role of maintenance of civil order and national defense. In this meaning, the welfare state seems to benefit essentially to the lower middle class
Two major bases of ideological and conceptual disagreement over the contemporary welfare state.
Since its emergence in the late 19th century, the notion of welfare state has largely been evolving (especially from the second part of the 20th century) and has been an object of conceptual and ideological disagreement in the field of political thought. As a system of government where the state within its social protection remit, a set of social policies, aims to guarantee a minimum level of economic and social well-being to its citizens, the contemporary welfare state is based on the principles of equality of opportunity, equitable distribution of wealth, and public responsibility for those unable to avail themselves of the minimal provisions for a good life. Its main concern is to provide a minimum of income security and essential services to the entire population. According to Asa Briggs in The Welfare State in Historical Perspective (1969), a welfare state is a state in which organized power is used deliberately to alter the play of market forces in three directions ; first, by ensuring a minimum income for people and families regardless of the value of their work or property ; second, by reducing insecurity by enabling individuals and families to cope with some difficult circumstances (such as disease, old age, unemployment) ; and third, by ensuring that all citizens, whatever their class or social status, receive a number of quality social services. Thus, here, we comprehend the welfare state as a state in which the power is deliberately used to modify the free play of economic and political forces in order to effect a redistribution of income. and not according to Fine 's conception of a “positive government”, i.e., a government whose prerogatives are extended further than its alleged natural role of maintenance of civil order and national defense. In this meaning, the welfare state seems to benefit essentially to the lower middle class
References: : Atherton, C. R.. (1989). The Welfare State: Still on Solid Ground. The Social Service Review, 63(2). Freeden, M. (1996). Ideologies and Political Theory: A Conceptual Approach. Oxford. George, P. (1985). Towards a Two-dimensional Analysis of Welfare Ideologies. Social Policy & Administration, 19(1). George, V., Wilding, P. (1994). Welfare and ideology. Harvester Wheatsheaf. Pierson, C. (2006). Beyond the welfare state. Cambridge: Polity.