welfare-state
Meaning
a system whereby the government undertakes to protect the health and well-being of its citizens, especially those in financial or social need, by means of grants, pensions, and other benefits.
Structure
Usage
the nordic countries are often cited as classic examples of a comprehensive welfare-state.
debates about the affordability of the welfare-state are common in modern politics.
the expansion of the welfare-state in the mid-20th century aimed to provide a safety net for all citizens.
Etymology
The term 'welfare-state' is a 20th-century compound that merges two distinct concepts. 'welfare' originates from Old English, combining 'wel' (well) and 'faran' (to go or fare), evolving to signify prosperity and well-being. 'state' derives from Latin status, indicating a standing or condition, which came to denote a sovereign political entity. The compound logically describes a political system where the state assumes primary responsibility for the social and economic welfare of its citizens, a concept that crystallized in post-war western democracies.
Analysis
welfare (from middle english, from the old english phrase wel faran meaning 'to fare well', functioning as a noun meaning 'well-being'); state (from latin status meaning 'condition, position', functioning as a noun meaning 'a politically organized body of people')