Welfare (Meaning and Explanation)

We explain what well-being is, in an individual and group sense and what types exist. Also, what is the welfare state and its models.

What is well-being?

According to the dictionary of the Royal Spanish Academy, well-being can be understood as the “state of the person in which the proper functioning of their somatic and psychic activity becomes sensitive”, that is, that condition in which the good conditions of our mind and our body become perceptible, identifiable, recognizable to us.

This means that either we are usually not aware of it, or there are usually elements that interrupt said proper functioning. Whatever the case, well-being would be the individual or collective condition in which the minimum existential needs are covered.

The word well-being, made up of “well” and “being”, provides few clues, contenting itself with indicating that it is about “being well”, which tends to be a very subjective evaluation, which It depends on the life model, the expectations of self-realization and the socioeconomic conditions available, both for the individual and for his environment.

For some, well-being will be limited to the absence of diseases, that is, to health; while others will argue that it depends on the availability of sufficient economic resources to satisfy basic needs; and others will point to social and emotional conditions that are, in turn, essential to be “well.”

Still, well-being has been a goal actively pursued by humanity through economics, politics, and other disciplines. Thus it has been possible to manage available resources, dispose of populations or manipulate culture, in pursuit of collective well-being, which often must confront the conditions of individual well-being.

Types of well-being

work well-being — Workplace well-being implies the possibility of exploiting one's own talents and abilities.

Broadly speaking, four types of well-being are distinguished, each focused on an aspect or side of human existence, but necessarily interrelated with the others. Few aspects of our well-being can be fully achieved without the others.

Physical well-being. It refers to the functional condition of the body, that is, physical health, which is not simply the fact of not suffering from diseases, but also of having a functional body that allows us to exist in our own way. This should also consider the possibility of nourishing the body with food, providing physical exercise and medical care, all in order to guarantee health.
Mental and emotional well-being. In this case, it refers to the functionality of cognitive processes and the stability of the psyche in general, so that we can lead a normal life in society, make the most of our talents, and not suffer from mental or neurological diseases that prevent us. This also includes emotional well-being, so it also has to do with the management of passions or the ability to deal with what one feels in a non-traumatic way.
Social welfare. It refers to the satisfaction of our basic needs in terms of being part of a community, given that the human being is a gregarious animal. From our group we obtain emotional support, a certain notion of identity (own and collective), and numerous learnings. A person in conditions of isolation will suffer social deprivation and will suffer its consequences on mental or even physical health.
Work well-being. In this case we are referring to the possibility of exploiting one's talents and abilities in favor of society, without said activity (work) becoming a source of unnecessary suffering, physical and emotional damage, or becoming a harmful activity. for the rest of our lives. Labor welfare is contemplated in labor laws and is traditionally a cause of concern for unions and guilds, as well as the State.

welfare state

The welfare state or welfare state (from English welfare state) is a model of social and political organization that attributes to the State the obligation to guarantee the satisfaction of social rights of all the inhabitants of a country. It is a mixed economy model, a combination – as described by the British sociologist Thomas H. Marshall (1893-1981) – of democracy, collective social welfare and capitalism.

The welfare state governed Europe for much of the period after the Second World War (1939-1945), and survives today based on four recognizable models:

The Nordic modelfrom Denmark, Norway, Iceland, Finland, Sweden and the Netherlands, relatively homogeneous States with a small population, has a higher level of social protection and a high number of public jobs, as well as a high margin of tax collection.
The continental modelfrom Austria, Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany and France, similar to the Nordic model but based on a system of social insurance and public subsidies for those over 25 years of age. It has fewer public labor policies and unions with low membership, despite its collective bargaining power.
The Anglo-Saxon modelof Great Britain and Ireland, characterized by fewer prevention systems, dedicated to last resort assistance and aimed above all at the working population, and to a much lesser extent at pensions.
The Mediterranean modelfrom Spain, Greece, Portugal and Italy, countries whose industrial development was rather late compared to the rest of Europe, has low social assistance expenses and a system strongly based on pensions, with strong employment protection and early retirement as job improvement method.