Social security

Social Security or social welfare is the name given to government programs to provide money for people who need it. Social security systems may be linked to health care.

Types of benefits

Universal benefits are paid to everyone who meets certain criteria (for example, all children under a certain age, or all people with certain disabilities). Contributory and means-tested benefits have conditions which people have to meet before they can receive the benefit.

Contributory benefits

In many countries, Social Security provides support only to people who have paid contributions. Contributions are regular payments taken from a person's pay when they are working. They will be recorded by the government.

Most pension systems are for people who have paid contributions. The right to a pension may include dependent members of the family.^{[clarification needed]} Pensions may then be paid to their widows and orphans. People may also make regular payments into private pensions.

Means-tested benefits

Means-tested benefits are paid to people who can show that they are poor. There are usually tests both of regular income and of capital.^{[clarification needed]} These benefits are usually paid to households.

Before government programs existed in many places charities would help people who were thought to need it.

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other international human rights law make the "right to an adequate standard of living" one of the fundamental human rights.

History

War pensions are the most ancient type of social security. They are mentioned by Plutarch.

Ancient Greece

Various forms of social welfare existed during the days of ancient Greece. In Sparta and Crete, citizens were supported from public resources. In Attica, programs for helping the poor included free corn for all citizens over the age of 18, a relief fund for orphaned children of soldiers who lost their lives in war, and poor relief for sick or disabled people.^[1]

Ancient Rome

Various forms of public relief existed in ancient Rome, like daily allowances of cheaply priced grain.^[2] In addition, a program called the “alimenta” helped to educate, clothe, and feed orphans and poor children.^[3]

According to one study, “Rome developed programs foreshadowing modern unemployment compensation, old age and disability benefits, and public works employment.”^[4] According to another study:^[5]

The mass of the population of Rome had welfare benefits of a kind and on a scale never matched before and hardly since, even in [Nazi] Germany under Hitler's cunning régime in the years leading up to the Second World War.

Aztec Empire

According to one study, the Aztec Empire “was a prototype of the modern welfare state.” A number of services were provided to Aztecs in need, including hospitals for veterans, public assistance, and care of people with disabilities.^[6]

Inca Empire

During the days of the Inca Empire, a system existed to take care of the sick and elderly, while the government “ensured that Inca families would be able to have the means of growing enough food for themselves.”^[7]

Pre-colonial Africa

Although social security coverage in Africa is low by global standards,^[8] a number of social welfare programs have existed throughout the history of the continent. In precolonial Africa, some political leaders made efforts to help their disadvantaged subjects. These included measures like lending cattle and providing enough food and land for people to survive.^[9]

Bemba chiefs, according to one study, “were expected to maintain food reserves against scarcity and to support those too old or young to provide for themselves.” ^[10]

The Ubuntu philosophy shaped several pre-colonial welfare states. In Zimbabwe for instance, there existed a system called “zunde ramambo” (King’s granary). According to one study, this was “designed as a safety net for the poor or everyone during times of drought or any other [disaster].”^[11]

Modern era

France

Since the beginning of the 20th century, French employers have been required to insure their workers against injury, illness, maternity, and death. Unemployment insurance was started in 1958. It is managed by the employers organization and the trade unions.

After 1946, the government added new social security programs. Now there are allowances for children (universal after the first child) and Family Complement (which is means-tested). There are extra payments for adopted and disabled children and orphans. There are both contributory and means-tested benefits for people over 65.

There is also a means-tested benefit called Revenu de solidarité active for unemployed and underemployed workers.^[12]

Germany

In 1883 Otto von Bismarck started social security benefits in Germany. This was part of what was called State Socialism. It included health insurance, accident insurance (workman's compensation), disability insurance and an old-age retirement pension.^[13]

Now there is a system of unemployment benefits. People and their employers have to pay when they are working. Benefits are paid for up to 12 months. There is also a welfare system called Hartz IV which is means-tested. This is also for working people on low pay.

There is a state pension. The retirement age will go up to 66 by 2023. It goes by two months each year, until 2031, when the retirement age will be 67. The amount of pension is based on the pay a person had when they were working and the number of years they paid contributions.^[14]

Israel

A wide range of social security benefits were established in Israel during the twentieth century. These included family allowances, unemployment benefits, and old age and disability pensions. National health insurance was not established until 1995.^[15] By the 1970s the Ministry of Social Welfare was covering the costs for the uninsured poor.^[16]

Mexico

Many social security programs were set up in Mexico in the decades following the 1917 Mexican Revolution, covering a number of different groups.^[17]

United Kingdom

See: Social security in the United Kingdom

United States

In the United States, this refers to a program started in the New Deal. The program first gave money only to a few old people, but is now used by millions of people and is one of the largest and most costly programs in the government. The Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance program covers 94% of workers. State and local government workers have pension plans at the state or local level. Retirement Insurance Benefits are paid to people over the age of 62. The amount is increased if the person delays their claim.

Social Security in the United States is managed by the Social Security Administration, and a person in the program gets a number and has it forever, mainly because of tax reports.

See also: Social Security (United States)

Related pages

• Welfare state

Other websites

• Social security Citizendium