To the specification of the concept of social state

Siushkin A. E.

The article discusses the concept and characteristics of the welfare state, traces the formation of this type of state during the XIX-XX centuries. The author proves that the welfare state is a modernized version of the bourgeois legal state, preserving its essential features. The conservative nature of the very idea of a social state, its initial focus on reducing class contradictions within capitalist society, is particularly noted. In conclusion, an analysis is given of the modern Western model of the welfare state, which, according to the author, is gradually moving away from its conservative function and shifting the priorities of its development towards economic efficiency.

Keywords:social state, welfare state, labor state, social policy, social legislation