Factors Contributing to the Emergence of Welfare States within Different Systems

Political Economy
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Introduction
Political economy is an interesting concept as it involves the examination of social relations between individuals and community as well as power relations between states and the markets. As such, political economy involves several elements which include political science, sociology, and economics, among others. Political economy also accounts for social changes and moral philosophy, especially in relation to historical figures such as Karl Marx. Given that political economy is concerned with the public welfare, it is important to also look into the concept of the welfare state. In fact, Ardalan posits that a state can only be understood based on the worldview shared by an individual or a group of people. Thus, the aim of this paper is to examine the factors that contribute to the emergence of the welfare state with special attention to the role of different worldview on the emergence of welfare states, all in the realm of political economy. Specifically, this paper will address the role of two worldviews; Marxist and Biblical Christian Worldviews.[Kavous Ardalan,Paradigms in Political Economy.(New York, NY: Routledge, 2016)] [Ardalan,Paradigms in Political Economy, 12.]
Factors Contributing to the Emergence of Welfare States within Different Systems
The concept of welfare states has been in use since the early 1900s and it focuses on providing economic well-being and health services among other social needs for individual citizens. As such, states operate within different systems and come up with various arrangements that are used to guide government spending. There are various factors that contribute to the emergence and development of welfare states for different systems. The first factor is advanced capitalism. Capitalism can be described as an economic system that is highly competitive and has, with time, changed the distribution of income between capital owners and laborers. In addition, Kersbergen and Vis posit that societies that have embraced capitalism have brought about the modernization of societies, which in turn, has caused disruptions. There is a belief that modern capitalism has increased inequality, especially due to monopoly, which has facilitated the emergence of welfare states in response to the needs of capitalism. This is an important observation given that with capitalism, there is a crucial need to separate private property and state powers. This need, coupled with the rapid growth associated with capitalism should be accommodated. With this in mind, it is clear why capitalism has contributed to the emergence of welfare states.[Esra Aravacik, "Social Policy and the Welfare State," IntechOpen, (2018): 6] [KeesKersbergen and Barbara Vis,Comparative Welfare State Politics: Development, Opportunities, and Reform.(New York, NY: Cambridge, 2014), 11.]
The second factor is an increase in social risks. A rapidly increasing aging population that is accompanied by diseases and pension payments presents new risks in society and in response, welfare states have emerged. Such risks can cause a change in the social structure and thus, they require the development of a welfare state so that they can be addressed on time. In fact, Kersbergen and Vis reveal that changes in social structure present a threat to the social system and an adequate response is imperative. At times, a welfare state can emerge to ensure that individual citizens are well-protected from social risks, rather than just meeting their social needs. For instance, in the case of an aging population, a welfare state that not only meets the needs of the aged but also protects the rest of the population is necessary. In addition, most welfare programs are structured around the provision of support to the most vulnerable members of the state. Thus, any change in the social structure implies that a change in the structure of the vulnerable versus stable members of society will be experienced. A welfare state may develop as a result.[Aravacik, "Social Policy and the Welfare State, 7.] [Kersbergen and Vis,Comparative Welfare State Politics, 12.]
The third factor contributing to the emergence of a welfare state is a political and social class struggle. Welfare states develop as a result of the struggle between capitalists and working-class as both want to gain some political power. As the gap between the working class and the capitalists widen, there is usually a need for collective action to somehow maintain the balance of power. This collective action, which the working class tries to implement through labor movements, is a concept of social democracy. It is worth noting that when there is a political and social struggle, conflict arises. Thus, a welfare state can emerge to ensure that this conflict is resolved, which mostly comes in the form of welfare distribution programs. In addition, the political and social struggle has been instrumental in the formation of employment politics. Employees have been able to organize themselves with the aim of enhancing income security. As a result, the labor unions, which are now influential in the political s...