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7.Welfare
State
A welfare state
is a state that is committed to providing basic economic security for its
citizens by protecting them from market risks associated with old age,
unemployment, accidents, and sickness. The term ‘welfare state’ first emerged
in the UK during World War II.
According to T. W. Kent, “A state that
provides for its citizens a wide range of social services.”
According to G.D.H. Cole, “The welfare state
is a society in which an assured minimum standard of living and opportunity
becomes the possession of every citizen.”
A welfare state
is a form of government in which the state (or a well-established network of
social institutions) protects and promotes the economic and social well-being
of its citizens, based upon the principles of equal opportunity, equitable
distribution of wealth, and public responsibility for citizens unable to avail
themselves of the minimal provisions for a good life.
Characteristics or Features of Welfare State-
1. Ensure Social Security: A welfare state
ensures social security. The economy in a welfare state is essentially a mixed
economy with a combination of capitalist and socialist features. Government
Plays an influential role in regulating economic activities and social welfare
of the people.
2. Socialistic in nature: A welfare state is a
Socialistic in nature. It is based on the principle of equality and is keen to
provide equal opportunities to all. It also aims to ensure equitable
distribution of health.
3. Control overall the economic activities: It
exercises control overall economic activities. In a welfare state, all provides
private enterprise in regulate by the government.
4. Provide basic facilities to its citizens: It
Provides all basic facilities to its citizens. A welfare government is
interested in providing economic and social services like general education,
public health, public transport, housing and other financial assistance to its
people.
5. Justice to all: In a welfare state, ordinary
People have to deal with the authorities for their many needs. For example,
Legal Justice, administration and social justice. A welfare state has a
responsibility to ensure justice and its needs are met.
6. Planning and activities: It is the
responsibility of the welfare state to formulate national Policies and plan
each economic activity in a balanced manner. Economic activities include
production and distribution. Industrial Policy, Policy trade policy, commercial
and banking policy etc are formulate to regulate those activities.
7. Regulate and Control: The role of regulation
and the regulatory state in social policy, redistribution, and the reforms of
the welfare state are increasingly important but often underestimated and
misunderstood.
8. Welfare of labourers: Welfare of laboureres
comes under the duty of the state. They are bound to enact laws to prevent
exploitation of Workers and to ensure the safety and welfare of those working
in industries, factories, company and other sectors of employment.
Functions of Welfare State-
1. To protect life and property: The welfare
state provides security to the life and property of every people in the state.
The state is obliged to protect the social security of the people
2. To protect from external invasion: In order to
maintain its existence the state has to protect its external sovereignty. If
state fails to do so, it bases its Identity. In order to advice this objective
the state has to maintain a strong standing army. The state which is Unable to
protect itself from internal and external threats shall not be able to Protect
the life liberty and property of its citizen.
3. To maintain of laws and order: One of the
important function of the state is the maintenance of law and order. The state
makes adequate arrangements for curtailing crimes, punishing the criminals and
for the protection of life at property of its citizen. The state makes
provision of police and courts to apprehend culprits and to punish them.
4. To maintain diplomatic relationship with other
countries: Diplomatic relations begin with diplomatic recognition. The
competence of a State to engage in relations with the other States includes the
competence of granting diplomatic recognition.
5. Judicial Administration: Administrative law is
the by-product of the growth of socio- economic functions of the state and the
increased powers of the government. Power has become very necessary in the
developed society and the relationship between the administrative authorities
has become very complex. In order to regulate these complex relations, some law
is necessary, which may bring about regularity, and certainty and may check at
the same time the misuse of power vested in the administration.
6. To spread education: Education is the backbone
of the nation. Hence, although imparting education is an optional function of
the state, it can be considered as important as an essential function. This
work includes the establishment and management of schools, colleges, madrasas
and all types of universities for the eradication of illiteracy.
7. Social economic security: The contemporary
state also makes arrangements for economic and social security of its citizen
Facilities of old age pension, subsistence allowances to the crippled and
unemployed and pensions after retirement of service are also granted by the
state
8. To eradicate Poverty: No state can make
Progress if its citizen are poor and are not able to meet and bear necessities
of their lives. It should be the duty of the state to eradicate poverty and the
citizens may be well provided with the necessities of life like food, clothing
and shelter. For this purpose- the welfare state makes various plans, creates
employment opportunities, distributes free food to the persons living below
poverty line etc.
9. To improve health: The state established hospitals
and charitable dispensaries to improve public health. Provides prevention of
epidemics and infectious diseases. Provide clean water, conduct cleanliness
drives to protect public health.
10.Moral and social reform: Social morality can
certainly act as a supporting force for the establishment of fundamental human
rights. Ensuring food security is essential and unadulterated wholesome food
supply, removing inadequate clothing, making medical facilities within reach,
providing housing for all people and establishing practical or life oriented
education system and management are essential contexts for building social
morality.
Do you think Bangladesh is a welfare state?
I think
Bangladesh is not a welfare state but now it is becoming a welfare state.
In modern
democratic welfare states, the state has to accept the overall responsibility
for the welfare and well-being of the public. For this reason, the modern
welfare state has to perform multiple responsibilities in various fields. In
the past, the main goal of the state was to protect the interests of the ruling
class.
Is Bangladesh a
welfare state? In a welfare state, the government provides unemployment
benefits, fully controls the economy, but this is not noticeable in Bangladesh.
However, the government has taken some public welfare programs, considering
that it can also be called welfare. Below is a description of the welfare work
undertaken by the government:
1. Performance of Public Service: Construction of
roads and railways, establishment of hospitals, maternity homes, etc.,
provision of clean drinking water and many other service works are done by
Bangladesh government for the welfare of the people.
2. Social Security: There are social security
schemes for workers against various accidents and emergencies for women. There
are family allowance, party insurance and welfare fund for government
employees.
3. Scholarship and Salary Waiver: The Government
has waived the salary of students up to the eighth class and has arranged for
the provision of scholarships for female students at the secondary level.
4. Establishment of social justice: Bangladesh
government has taken the responsibility of protecting everyone from
exploitation, oppression and unjust oppression, regardless of caste, religion,
caste, tribe, women and men.
5. Adequate Medical Care: The welfare state
provides adequate medical care, so our medical care is comparatively less but
not absolute.
6. Solution of unemployment problem: Welfare
state provides employment for every people of the state. Similarly, the Bangladesh
government is making an important contribution to solving the unemployment
problem by creating new workplaces.
Finally, it can
be said that Bangladesh is undoubtedly a welfare state. Bangladesh was
originally founded with the aim of achieving real welfare by struggling against
injustice, tyranny, tyranny, oppression etc. But due to thousands of problems
and incapacity in our country, the full implementation of that goal has not
become possible.
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