GOVT1107 Lecture 13: GOVT1107 Lecture - Week 13

• School: University of Sydney
• Department: Government Relations
• Course: GOVT1107
• Professor: James Ivor Loxton

Document Summary

The welfare state is the term used to describe the role that states play in protecting the economic and social wellbeing of their citizens through redistributive taxation and social policy. Shorthand for various policies to reduce poverty and inequality; to help the sick and the elderly; to provide security against accidents and unemployment; and to improve overall wellbeing (welfare) of the population (e. g. healthcare, old-age pensions etc. ) Marshall wrote an essay in 1950 called citizenship and social class" and he argues the welfare state is directly linked to the rise of citizens rights; he distinguishes between three kinds of rights: 1. Civil rights: freedom of speech, equality before the law etc: 2. Political rights: right to vote and run for of ce: 3. Social rights: the whole range of rights from that to a certain level off economic welfare and security and this forms the basis for the welfare state.