Addressing the emergence of welfare states. Social Research Paper

The Emergence of Welfare States
Student Name
Course
Date
The Emergence of Welfare States
Political scholars have always studied the role of the states in the economy. Many modern states take on various roles that influence the economy and the well-being of the people. One of these actions is the development of the welfare state. Dickovick argues that the welfare state refers to well-developed social institutions that play a vital role in safeguarding and enhancing the economic and social health of the citizens. Scholars have over the years explored the success of welfare states and how they came into being. In this way, it is important to conduct an analysis what scholars believe to be factors that contribute to the emergence of welfare state, as well as Judeo-Christian and Marxism view of welfare states.[Tyler, Dickovick, and Jonathan, Eastwood, Comparative Politics: Integrating Theories, Methods, and Cases, Third Edition (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2019), 87.]
Emergence of Welfare States
One reason for the emergence of welfare states is industrial capitalism. Dickovick notes that welfare state occurred as a response to the development of capitalism. Before the industrial revolution, most people worked in farms. Often, social problems were solved by social institutions such as families and the church. For example, families supported the elderly while churches often took on humanitarian roles such as visiting the sick and providing for the destitute. However, in the modern world, almost everyone lives in urban areas and individualism is remains high. Most modern families are nuclear such that extended families do not play a significant role in the day-to-day life of individuals. Similarly, capitalism has limited the church’s role because there are no enough funds to feed or take care of the poor. In this regard, government takes an active role in creating social programs that take care of people in such situations. Industrialization has created many social problems including limited social support for vulnerable populations such as the disabled, elderly, orphaned children, low-income earners, and many others. Some governments recognize that they can assist such groups of people through targeted social programs such as monthly payouts to the disabled.[Dickovick, Eastwood, Comparative Politics: Integrating, 87.] [Katelynd, Day, “Individualism and capitalism,” Carolina Journal. July 1, 2012. /opinion-article/individualism-and-capitalism/] [Robert Allen, "Class structure and inequality during the industrial revolution: lessons from England's social tables, 1688–186," The Economic History Review 72, no. 1 (2019): 88-125.]
Another possible reason for the emergence of welfare state is cultural changes. Changing societal values and norms contribute to views about welfare state. For example, in the past, welfare was unnecessary because nobody really needed it. Before the industrial revolution, people and communities often solved problems on their own. They worked together to solve social problems but things have changed in the modern world. With increased individualism, government often steps in to fill the gap. Culture also plays a role in welfare state because of neoliberal ideas. Neoliberal ideas emphasize that while personal responsibility is important, certain groups of people are ‘deserving’ of social security and support. For example, in the U.S. many neoliberals believe that minority groups that have faced years of discrimination and injustices deserve social security. The perception is that their circumstances are beyond their control and as such groups should be supported through welfare to help them gain a stable economic footing and additional support to thrive as a community. Additionally, liberals do question income inequalities. Often, they believe income inequalities may not be considered self-inflicted, requiring the support of welfare state. For example, the belief in equality and eliminating barriers that push some people to poverty can encourage cultural groups to support welfare programs designed to help individuals become self-empowered.[Dickovick, Eastwood, Comparative Politics: Integrating, 87.] [Birgit Pfau-Effinger, "Culture and welfare state policies: Reflections on a complex interrelation," Journal of social policy 34, no. 1 (2005): 3-20.] [Pfau-Effinger, "Culture and welfare state policies: Reflections on a complex interrelation.” 14.]
Welfare state also emerges from mobilization and political action. Dickovick claims that welfare could have emerged as a product of negotiation and conflicts among various interest groups. For example, during the industrial age, it was possible for strong business leaders, labor unions, and political leaders to clash over who should control what. The conflicts bring chaos in the society and causing problems in other areas such as workers’ rights. It is not impossible for a welfare state to come in to help enable a compromise. A welfare state would be in a position to regulate the different groups to bring a balance. For example, the state can facilitate institutional programs to help compromise between differing groups. If it is the labor union, the state can listen to certain aspects of their grievances and create a compromise that the business leaders could accommodate. Dickovick gives an example of the events after the Great Depression and the Second World War. The events may have prompted many interest groups such as the middle class to agree or compromise on the value of the welfare state. The welfare state would, in turn, work to sustain a level of understanding such as with the middle class to ensure the interest of both parties are maximized.[Dickovick, Eastwood, Comparative Politics: Integrating, 89.] [Dickovick, Eastwood, Comparative Politics: Integrating, 89.]
Finally, welfare states em...