State As Service – Welfare State

State as Service: concept of the Welfare State. If the advocates of the view of the State as a power-system emphasise the role of power of the State to perform its essential functions, the advocates of the welfare State emphasise its role as an agency of social service, for performing the ministrant or optional functions of the government. In fact, both these views of the State arise from the age-old and yet unsolved question of the interrelation between the State and society.

While the theory of the State as power denies this distinction and asserts that the State has full control over the society, the theory of welfare State asserts that it exists to promote the general welfare of the society or community as a whole. It exists for social service. It possesses power to serve and command. It “does not posses power without condition,” as Laski remarks. “It possesses power because it has duties. It is judged, not by what it is in theory, but by what it does in practice.” It is, therefore, the business of the State to find the needs of society and to satisfy them by providing conditions and opportunities for them.

The conditions are those which enable all classes and sections of the society to achieve the fullest development of their life and personality, happiness and well-being. The State commands only because it serves and owns only be-cause it owes.” It has become an agent of service and welfare of the society.

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