POLITICS AND ETHICS OF THE WELFARE STATE
The welfare state is often considered the crowning glory of the democratic form of government. The ethic and ideal of social welfare is, however, as old as the ancient civilisations. The scriptures of the major religious traditions of humanity are replete with references to the duty of the well off...
| Main Author: | |
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| Format: | Electronic Article |
| Language: | English |
| Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
| Journals Online & Print: | Drawer...
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| Fernleihe: | Fernleihe für die Fachinformationsdienste |
| Published: |
Dharmaram College
2013
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| In: |
Journal of Dharma
Year: 2013, Volume: 38, Issue: 3, Pages: 285-302 |
| Further subjects: | B
Ethics
B Social Justice B Social Security B Politics B Free Market B Constitution |
| Online Access: |
Volltext (kostenfrei) |
| Summary: | The welfare state is often considered the crowning glory of the democratic form of government. The ethic and ideal of social welfare is, however, as old as the ancient civilisations. The scriptures of the major religious traditions of humanity are replete with references to the duty of the well off towards the poor and the vulnerable members of society and also to the vision of a just socio-economic order. However, when it comes to the means of realizing such a social order, there are two competing ethical paradigms, one calling for direct and maximal state involvement in welfare through the setting up of a publicly financed social security programme, and the other arguing that the free market is the best mechanism for ensuring social justice. Today, we find ourselves in an era of global economic crisis and the question of a fiscally sustainable welfare state generates intense debate across the political spectrum. This paper presents a historical overview and attempts an analysis of the ethical principles at play in this debate. |
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| ISSN: | 0253-7222 |
| Contains: | Enthalten in: Journal of Dharma
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