Concetti Chiave
- The creation of the welfare state in Britain post-World War II aimed to provide education, healthcare, and support for those in need.
- The National Health Service, established in 1948, offers free healthcare, supported by National Insurance contributions.
- The social security system in the USA began in 1935, providing pensions and financial support during unemployment, sickness, or disability.
- The USA lacks a national healthcare system, relying on private insurance and government programs like Medicare and Medicaid.
- In the USA, welfare benefits include food stamps and public housing, with significant contributions from private charities and volunteers.
What is the creation of the welfare state?
After World war II the Labor government in Britain created a welfare state.
The idea was that the state should be responsible for looking after people by providing education and healthcare and helping people in special need.
The social security system pays welfare benefits to people in need:
the sick and disabled, elderly people, the unemployed and those on low incomes.
Child benefit is paid to mothers for each child.
National health system
The national Health service began in 1948 with free healthcare.
Family doctors, called General Practitioners are responsible for organizing treatment. In an emergency people can go to the Accident and Emergency department of the nearest hospital.
Everybody who works must pay National insurance.
The money from National insurance contributions is used to pay benefits such as the state pension and help fund the National Heath service.
Everyone who has paid National insurance contributions get a state pension when they retire.
The state pension age for men is 65 years old, for women currently 60, but increasing to 65 by 2020.
Social security programs
The social security programme started in 1935, pays a basic pension to workers when they retire.
All workers and their employers pay regular contributions to the fund.
Social security provides financial support if workers become unemployed, sick or disabled.
The USA has no comprehensive national healthcare system.
Most workers belong to private health insurance schemes, which are part of their employment contracts and alsocover their families.
There are two government programmes:
- Medicare, a health insurance programme for old people.
- Medicaid, a programme of assistance to the poor.
More than 40 million Americans cannot afford health insurance and don't qualify for medicare and medicaid.
Benefits and poverty in the USA
Elderly people and poor families with children can obtain other welfare benefits:
food stamp, free school meals and public housing at low rents.
37 million Americans are below the official poverty line.
Private charities, religious institutions and voluntary organization also provide help to people in need.
50% of adult Americans do volunteer work and nearly 75% of US households contribute money to charity.
Domande da interrogazione
- What was the purpose of the welfare state created by the British Labor government after World War II?
- How is healthcare structured in the UK under the National Health Service (NHS)?
- How does the USA's approach to social security and healthcare differ from the UK's welfare state?
The welfare state was established to ensure the state took responsibility for citizens by providing education, healthcare, and assistance to those in special need, including welfare benefits for the sick, disabled, elderly, unemployed, and low-income individuals.
The NHS, initiated in 1948, offers free healthcare services. General Practitioners organize treatment, and emergency care is available at hospital Accident and Emergency departments. Funding comes from National Insurance contributions, which also support state pensions.
The USA lacks a comprehensive national healthcare system, relying on private health insurance linked to employment. Social security provides pensions and support for unemployment, sickness, or disability. Government programs like Medicare and Medicaid assist the elderly and poor, but many Americans remain uninsured.
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