INDORE INSTITUTE OF

LAW
(Affiliated to D.A.V.V and BCI , New Delhi)
SUBJECT – POLITICAL SCIENCE
www.indoreinstituteoflaw.org
Presented by Dr. Shefali verma
B.A.L.L.B SEMESTER – I
UNIT - IV
 WELFARE STATE
• In olden times, the state was 'a law and order authority' or
rather, a 'police-state' which had only a negative role to
perform. Administration of justice and collection of taxes
were also included. As a result of the socio-economic and
political changes, things have changed and the concept of
state has also changed to give way for the principle of
'welfare state'.
• The following resource explains the concept of welfare
states and the characteristics of a welfare state and more.
 CONCEPT OF WELFARE STATE
• Most of the modern democratic countries are 'welfare
states'. The establishment of welfare states in democratic
countries was a remarkable development of the 20th
century.
• In a welfare state, the role and functions of government are
extensive and diversified. In modern times, the
responsibilities and functions of governments have increased
beyond limits.
 CONCEPT
• The concept of state in the early periods was mainly of a
'police state'. i.e., the governments had to perform the
sovereign functions along with the establishment of public
safety and security and these formed the primary duties of
every government.
• But democracy changed the role and functions of the
government. Today, the concept of 'welfare states' have
redefined the very meaning of democracy.
 MEANING OF WELFARE STATE
• A welfare state is a state or a government meant for the
welfare, or the wellbeing of the people. In other words, it is a
government which primarily aims at the 'welfare' of the
people.
• A welfare state takes the responsibility of the welfare and
the economic and social wellbeing of its citizens. Welfare
implies the benefits or different modes of aid provided to the
people.
 MEANING
• It can be in terms of money or services. Cash payments,
subsidies, concessions, grants and public distribution come
under the term welfare.
• All these welfare measures amount to the redistribution of
governmental revenue to the needy.
 MOTIVES OF WELFARE STATE
• The sick, the poor, the disabled, the unemployed and similar
groups of people are to be taken care of in a welfare state. It
has the duty of eliminating economic inequalities to ensure a
reasonable and equitable standard of living, to all citizens of
the state.
• Education, health care, social insurance, housing, old age
pensions and medical care have become the responsibility of
welfare states. They even bother to provide unemployment
compensation payments to the unemployed.
 CHARACTERISTICS OF WELFARE
STATE
• A welfare state ensures social security. In a welfare state
though the traits of capitalism are also seen, it is mainly a
mixed economy.
• Even when a combination of capitalistic and socialistic
features exists, the government plays a dominant role in
controlling the economic activities and in the social welfare
of the people.
• Socialistic in nature. It is based on the principles of equality
and is keen to provide equal opportunity to all.
 CHARACTERISTICS
• It exercises control over all the economic activities. In a
welfare state, all the private enterprises are regulated by the
government.
• It provides even the basic facilities to its citizens. Furnishing
services to each and every individual is its duty. A welfare
government is keen in providing economic and social
services such as general education, public health, public
transport, housing, and other financial assistance to its
people.
 CHARACTERISTICS
• It undertakes and runs various enterprises. Ownership and
operation of industrial enterprises, business and other
commercial activities are also done by welfare governments.
• It ensures justice to all common man has to deal with the
authorities for many of their needs. For example;
administrative officers, controlling officers, sanctioning
authorities, officers of social services, executives of public
sector undertakings In a welfare state has the responsibility
to ensure justice and fulfillment of their requirements.
 CHARACTERISTICS
• Planning of activities: Economic activities include production
and distribution. It is the duty of the welfare state to
formulate national policies and to plan every economic
activity in a balanced manner. Industrial policy, trade policy,
commercial and banking policy etc are framed in order to
control those activities.
• It is the function of a welfare state to regulate and control all
private enterprises engaged in economic activities. Such
control includes registration, licensing, taxation etc.
 CHARACTERISTICS
• Welfare of labourers also comes under the purview of the
duties of welfare state.
• They are bound to make legislations to prevent exploitation
of workers, and to ensure the security and welfare of those
who work in industrial enterprises, factories, companies and
all other sectors of employment.
 COMPOLSOURY FUNCTIONS
• Protection from external aggressions and war. For this
purpose the state organises and maintains armed forces—
Army, Air force and Navy.
• Protection from internal disturbances, disorders and civil
wars. For this purpose the state maintains police and law and
order machinery.
• Protection of life, liberty and rights of the people.
• Maintenance of peace, law and order in society.
 COMPOLSOURY FUNCTIONS
• Controlling crimes, anti-social elements, and malpractices.
• Protection against terrorism has now come to be its
essential function
• Protection of public and private property.
• Settlement of disputes among the people and their
associations.
 COMPOLSOURY FUNCTIONS
• Dispensation of justice. For this purpose the state organises
and maintains a network of courts in all parts of the state.
• Issuing and regulating national currency and coinage.
• Controlling weights and measures
• Preservation, protection and systematic exploitation of the
natural resources of the country.
 COMPOLSOURY FUNCTIONS
• Making and implementation of necessary policies, laws and
programmes for environmental protection
• Conduct of relations with other states, and discharging of
international obligations as a member of the international
community.
• Protection of Human Rights of all the people of the world.
 OPTIONAL FUNCTIONS
• Welfare State performs several socio-economic development
functions for securing the interests, needs and welfare of all
its people.
• We can describe these functions in two parts:
• Social functions
• Economic functions.
 SOCIAL FUNCTIONS
• Welfare State acts as a very important agency of social
transformation.
• It creates and maintains all essential conditions for securing
socio-economic reconstruction and development of all its
people.
 SECURING OF SOCIAL EQUALITY
• The state works for creating social equality among the
people belonging to all sections of society. It grants equal
rights and freedoms to them.
• It maintains the rule of law. It ensures equal opportunities
for development to all its people. It does not discriminate
between citizens on the basis of religion, caste, colour, sex,
race, wealth and place of birth. It tries to secure gender
equality.
 SECURING SOCIAL JUSTICE
• The State tries to secure social justice. It works for
establishing such a social order as is proper and just for all
sections of society. For this purpose, all the people are asked
to contribute for general welfare. The state gives special
facilities and opportunities to the poorer and Dalit sections
of society.
• It tries to reduce the gap between the rich and poor by
checking socio-economic inequalities. It enacts laws for this
purpose. For example, untouchability used to be prominently
prevalent in India
 SECURING SOCIAL JUSTICE
• It was against the concept of social justice and equality. The
Indian State has made the practice of untouchability a crime
punishable under law.
• In order to secure social justice in India, special facilities have
been provided to scheduled castes, scheduled tribes and
other backward classes. State has given special protection to
minorities, children and women. Currently, India has been
trying to give reservation benefits to the women.
 SOCIAL SECURITY
• The welfare state provides social security to the people.
Social security means giving state aid to the old, crippled,
sick disabled and unemployed. It tries to provide additional
protection to the weaker sections of society.
• The state formulates and implements schemes, plans and
programmes for controlling unemployment and for helping
the disabled. In case of old age sickness, accident, physical
disability and old age, the state arranges for health care, life
insurance, provident fund, pension and medical assistance.
 TO CONTROL SOCIAL EVILS
• Progress and prosperity of society needs eradication of social
evils. Earlier this work used to be performed only by private
social and religious organisations. Mow, the state has taken
upon itself the task of removing social evils.
• Through legislation, the state tries to remove these. In India,
the state has made laws to eradicate sati, human sacrifice,
child-marriage, dowry, child labour, bonded labour,
prostitution, untouchability and other such evils
 UTILITY SERVICES
• The State arranges social utility services for the benefit of its
people. It includes arrangement for the supply of electricity,
water, roads, transport services, post, telegraph and
telephone services, Radio and T.V. The state spends crores of
rupees for providing these amenities to its people.
 SPREAD OF EDUCATION
• Education occupies an important place in our social life. A
man becomes a good man and good citizen only through
education. Without education, no man can develop himself,
nor can be become capable of discharging his responsibilities
in society.
• Modern state regards it an important duty to spread
education among its people
 EDUCATION
• Some states go to the extent of providing minimum
compulsory and free education to its citizens. Indian State
has granted the right to education to the children between
the ages of 6-14 years. State gives financial assistants to
educational institutions.
• It maintains public libraries and reading rooms. Meritorious
and poor students are given state stipends and scholarships.
 PROTECTION OF PUBLIC HEALTH
• Welfare State looks after the health of the public. Healthy
citizens alone can build a healthy and stable nation. The state
spends crores of rupees on public health and sanitation and
for checking the spread of diseases and epidemics.
• It establishes hospitals, dispensaries, maternity homes, child
health care centres and other such institutions. It provides
free medical aid to the poor old and disabled.
 FAMILY WELFARE FUNCTIONS
• These days increasing population has come to be a big
challenge in societies like ours. The state takes steps to
control this problem. The Indian State has been running a
national programme for family planning and welfare. People
are encouraged to adopt family welfare measures
• In fact, taking steps for providing social security and equality,
and prevention of any type of discrimination on the basis of
caste, colour, creed, sex, religion, or place of birth is a major
function of the Welfare State
 ECONOMIC FUNCTIONS
• Improving the Economic Health of the People:
• The State acts as an important agency for raising the
standard of living of its citizens. The state supervises
arrangements for the provision of food, clothing, housing,
education and health amenities to its people. These are the
basic necessities of life. All citizens must have adequate
means of livelihood and good wages for their work. The state
draws up schemes for solving the problems of poverty and
unemployment.
 ECONOMIC FUNCTIONS
• Planning Functions:
• The State formulates and implements plans for a balanced
economic growth of the country. Through these plans, the
natural and human resources of the State are sought to be
utilised in such a way as can lead to maximum benefits for
the common people.
• Since 1950, India has been making and implementing five
year plans for rapid socio-economic development of the
country.
 AGRICULTURE
• In a developing country, like India, agriculture is the main
occupation of the people and hence, it is a major sector of
national economy.
• Indian State has been making all-out efforts for improving
agriculture and making it highly productive. It provides latest
scientific know-how to the farmers. It provides them with the
best seeds, good irrigation facilities, fertilizers, implements,
machines, tractors and some other items at subsidised rates.
 AGRICULTURE
• The State has built up dams and canals, ponds and tube wells
for meeting irrigation needs of the agriculture sector.
• The State also fixes prices of various agricultural produces
and at times even enters the market itself to save the
farmers from panic selling.
• The state provides subsidies to the farmers.
 DEVELOPMENT OF INDUSTRIES
• Along with the development of agriculture, the State tries to
boost industrial development. The state often provides
facilities like cheap loans to entrepreneurs, facilities for the
import of machinery from other countries, and even gives
tax rebates.
• The State formulates and implements national industrial and
economic policies.
 REGULATION OF TRADE AND
COMMERCE
• In order to bring about an economic change, the State
regulates trade and commerce. It formulates and
implements the import-export policy for promoting foreign
trade. It fixes custom duties and also regulates internal trade.
• State regulates currency, circulation of currency, banks,
insurance and all financial institutions. The state determines
and controls weights and measures. It works for protecting
the interests of the consumers as well as for controlling
inflation and economic recession.
 EQUAL DISTRIBUTION OF WEALTH
• The State tries to secure an equitable distribution of wealth
in the society. It manages the national economy in such a
way as can ensure that the wealth of the country does not
get accumulated into a few hands. The state brings about all
kinds of changes in the tax-structure
• The money obtained from taxation is spent on those
programmes of economic and social development which go
to benefit the common people. It eliminates the economic
exploitation of the poor and workers.
 WELFARE OF WORKERS N
WEAKER SEC
• In order to bring about a desired economic change and
welfare, the State protects the interests of workers and the
weaker sections of society.
• It fixes working hours, minimum wages, and proper working
environment, leaves benefits and also provides for insurance
covers, provident fund facility and other such necessities…
For improving the conditions of weaker sections of society
the state gives to them special economic help.
 CONCLUSION
• Even in the contemporary era of globalisation, liberalisation,
free trade, open competition and privatisation, the Welfare
State works for preventing monopolies in wealth,
widespread economic inequalities and exploitation of
workers.
• The state continues to discharge its responsibility of securing
socio-economic development of all the people.
• It continues to work for securing social justice, spread of
education and health- care facilities for all its people.