The essence and criteria of the welfare state
Authors: Tryshnovskyi Yevhen 
Published: January 2025

The conceptual and categorical apparatus of the study was further developed by clarifying the meaning of the concept of the social state as an ideal type of state, the activity of which is based on the recognition, observance and guaranteed protection of political and socio-economic rights and higher spiritual and moral values, the criteria of which are the democratic organization of state power, high moral level of citizens and, first of all, state officials, powerful economic potential, socially oriented structure of the economy, legal development of the state, the existence of civil society, a pronounced social orientation of state policy, the presence of social goals in the state, the presence of developed social legislation, consolidation of the formula "social state » in the country's constitution.
The generalization of the definitions of the social state made it possible to conclude that it is a highly developed state in which a decent level of social security of all citizens is maintained in relation to the regulation of social, economic, political and other spheres of life, the establishment of peace, justice and solidarity in it.
The basic meaning of the concept of "social state" undergoes changes in the history of social and humanitarian knowledge and in the practice of implementation of social state models; from a theoretical concept is translated into specific functions, principles and mechanisms of state policy in the social sphere in the conditions of the new reality.
The genesis of the social qualities of the state demonstrates that the "welfare state" phenomenon dates back to the Middle Ages, where the state's social policy was based on four institutions (the family, the church, the corporation, and the monarch). With the development of industry and trade, the specialization of production, the emergence and development of commodity-money relations, the strengthening of the struggle for social changes, the welfare state is also undergoing changes, qualitatively changing state approaches to the social security of its citizens.
The systematization of the criteria and main features of the social state allows us to note the main features: recognition of the people as the source of power, the bearer of sovereignty; availability of civil society standards; social security; socially oriented policy; development of the economic base; mandatory element of the welfare state is parliamentarism.
The nature, goals and objectives of the welfare state are realized through its functions, which are the main directions of its activity, constitute the content and principles of social policy. The principles of state policy in the social sphere include: equality of opportunities: the state must provide equal opportunities for all citizens in access to education, health care, housing, work and other social benefits; social protection: the state must provide social protection for the most vulnerable sections of the population, such as pensioners, the disabled, the unemployed, low-income families and children; state regulation: the state must regulate the social sphere to ensure its effective functioning and prevent negative consequences for society; cooperation with the public: the state should cooperate with the public and non-profit organizations to solve social problems and improve the quality of life of citizens; innovation and development: the state should stimulate innovation and development in the social sphere to ensure more efficient and high-quality provision of social services.