Issues: Politics and Social Responsibility

Christianity and The Welfare State

The people who established the Welfare State were mainly Christians who were inspired by Christian principles, aiming to love other people (The 2 great commandments). The Welfare State is based upon Christian Principles which is why most Christians would support it.

The Decalogue or 10 Commandments are the basis for much of the Welfare State. There are 6 commandments in the Decalogue which concentrate on the needs of others. Christians think it is important to care for others. The Decalogue tells Christians to honour their parents. The Welfare State 'honours' older people by providing them with pensions. The Decalogue states that you shouldn't murder. This shows a respect for human beings. It isn't right to destroy something God has made. The Welfare State reflects this respect for humans by providing the Health Service to ensure that peoples bodies are well looked after. The Decalogue says you shouldn't steal. This shows that Christians shouldn't take things that aren't rightfully theirs. The Welfare State goes one further, and attempts to ensure that people have no need to steal, by helping the poor and the unemployed.

The Golden Rule which Jesus taught his disciples 'Do unto others as you would have them do unto you' (The Bible, Matthew chapter 7 verse 12), is another Christian principle that underlies the Welfare State. Christians believe they must treat other people as they want to be treated. Christians believe this means that those who are rich and in work should pay taxes so that the Welfare State can treat everyone the way the rich would like to be treated. Christians, then, should support the Welfare State.

In the New Testament, in Matthew chapter 25 verses 37 - 40 , Jesus tells a parable known as THE PARABLE OF THE SHEEP AND THE GOATS. In this story, Jesus implies all humans will be judged in the future on the basis of whether they have fed the hungry, given drinks to the thirsty, taken in strangers, clothed the needy, looked after the sick and visited those in prison.

Jesus explains that whatever we do 'for the least of these brothers of mine' (verse 40) we do for Jesus. The provision of the Welfare State helps Christians carry out this requirement of Jesus to look after the needy. The benefits the needy can receive from the Welfare State can be seen as 'feeding the hungry', 'giving a drink to the thirsty' and 'clothing the naked'. The National Health Service provides for the sick. The probation service and the prison system could be seen as 'visiting those in prison'.

Most Christians would feel that paying a proportion of their income in taxes to finance the Welfare State is a Christian thing to do. They believe this because the Welfare State is based on Christian principles.