Why is the welfare state important - Essay Example

Importance of Welfare Why is the welfare important? A welfare is the one in which the plays an important part in protection and healthy well-being of the citizens. All the citizens who are unable to avail the benefits of a good, healthy life are under the public responsibility. The government makes sure about the equality in society and equal distribution of wealth. A welfare state is often referred as a mixed economy. It is funded through the taxation which the citizens of the state pay. The welfare program is carried out by most of the rich nations, but the differences are because of the national variations such as poverty rates (Anxo, 2010, p78).

The basic functions of a welfare state are to introduce such policies that are beneficial for all the varying types of people in the society. These policies are induced so that every citizen gets the benefits of a good life. Just as there were more and more modern welfare states declared, there were a series of measures taken for the standards of living for those who were in need of help. It was proposed that all the people should get adequate income, health care, education and employment in these states no matter what their standard of life was.

This is usually beneficial for the people who are on or under the poverty line and are not able to fulfil their families’ basic needs (Kremer, 2007, p21). The people who were working should pay a weekly National insurance contribution in return of which they would get benefits if they were sick, unemployed, retired or made redundant. The National Health Service would provide free health care to all the citizens. The government intervention in the economic development would greatly provide benefits to all the citizens in the form of infrastructure facilities and would be less of a burden on the private sector.

Public schools would have free education for all the students no matter what their family background is and free school meals will be provided, so that equality is observed and all the children can get their right for education. Some of the laws which were introduced in the UK as a modern welfare state were the Old-Age Pensions Act, Labour Exchanges Act, Development Act and National Insurance Act. All these were for the benefit of the citizens. Other modifications were the introduction of free school meals, government intervention in economic development and health benefits from work (Kremer, 2007, p21).

A welfare state is very important since there are many diversifications in a society. Some people cannot even afford the basic necessities of life and they suffer from poor standards of living. This creates a difference in the people of the society with more complications. Thus, a welfare state ensures that all the citizens are given equal right on the basic things such as education, health measures and work benefits. This would kill the superiority complex between the people and would create a stronger society which is a way to a successful state.

The government plays a very important part in the lives of the citizens and a progressive state would be the one in which the government is strong enough to give their citizens the rights that they deserve. ReferencesAnxo, D. (2010). The Welfare State and Life Transitions: A European Perspective, London: Edward Elgar PublishingKremer, M. (2007). How Welfare States Care: Culture, Gender and Parenting in Europe. Amsterdam: Amsterdam University Press