Social state: the concept and characteristics, functions

Consider the social state: the concept and its signs. Also from this article you will find out which models of the social state exist. Say a few words about the features of its development. What is a social state, the concept and signs of which we are interested in? This is a principle (characteristic) that refers to the constitutional and legal status of a particular state.

Principle of the social state

This principle presupposes a constitutional guarantee of social and economic rights and freedoms of the citizen and the duty of the state, which should serve the society. It seeks to minimize and, as far as possible, completely eliminate unreasonable social differences.

Functions that a social state must perform

The concept and characteristics of a social state are closely related to its functions. Considering the latter, you need to keep in mind the following:

A) it has traditional functions, conditioned by its nature as states;

B) the content of all these functions is affected by its social significance, that is, traditional postulates in this case are refracted through the prism of the goals and objectives of the social state, and one can speak in this respect about the existence of a general social policy for such a state.

It is possible to single out within the general social purpose specific activities, that is, specific functions that a social state has, the concept and characteristics of which we describe. Such functions include, in particular:

1) support for categories of the population that are socially unprotected;

2) protection of health and work of people;

3) support of motherhood, paternity, family and childhood.

Also, the state should take care of preserving peace. What other functions are included in its concept? Signs, social purpose of the state suggest that the inequality should be smoothed out by redistributing income between different layers of society. This is realized through taxation, special social programs, the state budget.

A fairly large concept is a social state. The concept and features, functions - you can talk about all this for a very long time. Among the latter, it should also be noted that the state encourages charity (including by providing tax incentives to business entities that implement it). We need to support and finance cultural programs and fundamental scientific research. Characterizing the social state (notion and signs) briefly, it must be said that it should provide employment for the population, fight unemployment, and pay benefits. Its functions also include finding a balance between the market economy and the impact on its development of the state. The purpose of such an impact is to ensure a dignified life for the citizens of the country. To participate in the implementation of interstate social, cultural and environmental programs, as well as to solve common human problems, a social state must necessarily also take place. The concept and attributes, functions, types - all this determines its basic features.

The main features of the social state

From the above, we can conclude that the social state always seeks to ensure the social security of citizens, decent conditions for their existence, the opportunity to participate in the management of production. Ideally, it should be aimed at creating for all approximately equal life chances. The activities of such a state are aimed primarily at the common good, for the establishment of social justice in society. It alleviates inequality (property or otherwise), helps the disadvantaged and weak, cares about giving work or other sources of livelihood to citizens, ensures the preservation of peace, the formation of a safe living environment for man.

Conditions for the existence of a social state

The formation of such a state is not only a political and economic process, but also a moral one, which requires a "human" dimension. It can be inferred from the foregoing that the characteristic features and conditions for the existence of a social state are:

1) democratically organized government;

2) a high level of morality among officials and all citizens;

3) large economic potential, which allows you to redistribute income, without prejudice at the same time the position of the owners;

4) the structure of the economy, oriented socially, which manifests itself in the presence of different forms of ownership, as well as a significant share of state property in the necessary areas of the economy;

5) development of the state in the legal sphere;

6) the existence of a civil society for which the state is an instrument for carrying out socially oriented policies;

7) the social orientation of the policy, manifested in the development of various social programs, as well as the priority of their implementation;

8) the existence of the goals of establishing a common good, social justice;

9) the existence of social legislation;

10) fixing the formula "social state" in the country's constitution.

Activities of the social state

It can be said that the social state exercises its principles and goals in the form of legal statehood. It goes through the humanization of society, that is, it seeks to expand the rights of the individual, to fill the legal norms with a more just content. The state is also called to ensure the welfare of the individual: the material conditions of a dignified existence and freedom for every person, social security. It should deal directly with the distribution of the public good, but not undermine the foundations of a market economy, such as competition, private property, individual responsibility, enterprise, etc., should not contribute to mass social dependency.

The liberal model

It is based on the liberal principle, which provides for the personal responsibility of all members of society for the fate of their family and their own. In this model, the role of the state is insignificant. First of all, social programs are financed through private insurance and personal savings. The task of the state is to stimulate the growth of incomes of citizens. Using this model by social states are, for example, the USA, Canada and Australia.

Corporate model

Another model is corporate. It presupposes the existence of a mechanism for the responsibility of organizations (corporations) and enterprises for the fate and financial situation of their employees. The corporation provides employees with social guarantees, including pensions, as well as partial payment for educational, medical and other services. The social states built on this principle are France, the Netherlands, Ireland, Italy, Germany, Belgium, Austria, and others.

Conservative model

The main task in it is to ensure equal starting conditions, as well as opportunities for development for all citizens. The idea of partnership between the private sector, the state, charitable and public organizations is the foundation of conservative politics. The principle of mixed economy - dominant in the economic sphere, creates a social market economy. Oriented on this model, social states are Japan and the United Kingdom.

The models described above are ideal types that are unlikely to occur anywhere in the pure state. In each concrete state, in reality there are elements of different models. However, this dominates one or another of them, so that you can determine what kind of social states are these or other countries.

The most common model of a social state

The most common model is one based on the responsibility of society as a whole for the fate of each member. The main principle in this case is the condition that the young pay for the old, and the rich for the poor. The state redistributes the tax deductions that it receives, through the budget, social programs, insurance funds, the social service system. Non-governmental institutions of social assistance (programs, funds, etc.) play a supporting role.

Internal contradictions of the social state

Considering the theme "Social state: concept, essence, signs", it is necessary to note that it has internal contradictions. The social state passes certain stages of development and the stage of formation. Reflecting these problems and contradictions was a broad discussion that unfolded in foreign political and scientific science in the 1980s and 1990s about its future and its crisis. The basis of the processes that caused the aggravation of the problems existing in the social state are the uneven and cyclical nature of economic development, as well as the vulnerability of the social sphere and the economy to the impact of domestic and foreign policy events. The illusion of harmony between economic growth and the expanding practice of state distribution of social and economic benefits has been destroyed by the global economic crisis. He showed that there are serious monetary problems that it is impossible to operate endlessly cheap imported raw materials.

Discussion about the prospects and crisis of the social state was aggravated again when socialism was destroyed in the states of Eastern Europe, when the FRG faced economic difficulties associated with the development of the lands of eastern Germany, when the enlargement of the European Union was taking place. All these global economic and geopolitical shifts have revealed the complexity in the relationship between the state and society.

Social and legal state

What else can you tell by revealing the theme "Social state: concept, signs, functions"? Note that the modern social state represents a stage of development that follows the state paternalistic. A social state is not a stage in the development of the legal state. Nevertheless, only a law-based state can become a social state, that is, one in which the mechanisms of the rule of law are sufficiently developed.

Social politics

Social policy is one of the main instruments for the realization of the state of the social. The relationship between them manifests itself in how deeply and fully the social state pursues social policy, and also in the degree to which it expresses the interests and needs of its citizens.

Social policy is aimed at achieving results and goals related to improving social and material well-being. Its goal is also to improve the life of the entire population, to prevent the emergence of social tension.

The essence of the social policy of the state, which has set a goal to become a social state, should be to ensure a high standard of living for the population, conditions for improving well-being. The task of implementing an effective, strong social policy in such a state is brought to the forefront.

So, we talked about what a social state is. The concept, essence, signs and models of it were described by us. Each state should strive to realize its principles to the maximum. The Russian Federation is also a social state. The concept, features, functions are fixed in the Constitution of our country. It was adopted in 1993. Since then, Russia is officially a social state. The concept and signs (TGP is engaged in their study) it is used in the policy pursued by Russia. However, in fact, the formation of a social state is in our country at an early stage.

The topic "Social state: concept and signs" is very topical today. Presentation, abstract or course work on it can be done with the support of the material from this article.