The Welfare State: A personal journey through its lights and shadows

If someone had ever told me that I would end up writing about the Welfare State, I probably would have laughed. Who, in their right mind, would have imagined that such a technical and political topic would become so personal? But here I am, after years of experience and experiences, explaining from my own skin what this system means that, for better or worse, has shaped our society and our daily lives.

What is the Welfare State?

Imagine for a moment that you live in a world where the state makes sure that you have a roof over your head, that if you get sick you can get medical care without emptying your pocket, and that if you lose your job, you're not left on the street without a euro in your pocket. That is the Welfare State. A system where the State, instead of being just a tax collector, becomes a real guarantor of your social rights, protecting you in the key areas of your life: health, education, pensions and social benefits.

I have experienced firsthand the advantages of this system. I remember when I lost my job a few years ago, and the first thing I thought was, "Thank goodness for unemployment benefits." If it weren't for that safety net, the fall would have been much harder. The Welfare State is precisely that: a net that supports you when you fall, so that you can get up again.

The origins of the Welfare State

The Welfare State did not appear overnight. It was forged in a very specific historical context, and, like many great ideas, it emerged from crises. After the crash of '29 and the Second World War, many Western countries found themselves in a desperate situation: mass unemployment, extreme poverty and a society that had no way of getting by on its own. It was time for a drastic change, and thus emerged the concept of a state that would protect its citizens beyond the mere maintenance of law and order.

The idea behind the Welfare State was, basically, that the state needed to be more than a passive bystander in the economy. It needed to intervene to guarantee a minimum standard of living for all. Thus, pensions, unemployment benefits, public healthcare, and a long etcetera were born, which, in theory, were intended to prevent people from falling into misery.

Does the Welfare State really work?

Here comes the big question. Is it really an effective system or just an illusion of security? From my experience, I have seen both sides of the coin. On the one hand, it is undeniable that without the Welfare State, millions of people would be much worse off than they are today. Pensions, for example, are essential for older people to live in dignity after years of work. Public healthcare guarantees that no matter how much or how little money you have, you will get medical care when you need it.

However, not everything is rosy. The system has its flaws. And this is where my frustration begins. When you see how resources are wasted or how some people take advantage of the system, you realize that there is much room for improvement. In countries like Spain, the aging population and demographic changes are putting enormous pressure on the pension system. There are more and more pensioners and fewer young people contributing, causing spending to soar.

On the other hand, unemployment is a constant problem. With a labor market that is increasingly precarious and dependent on sectors such as tourism, when a crisis arrives, unemployment skyrockets. And of course, the State has to come to the rescue, but how long can it put up with this situation?

The challenges of the future

The Welfare State is not a static system. It has evolved over time, but it also faces very serious challenges going forward. The pension system, for example, is in a critical situation. What are we going to do when there are more pensioners than workers? Cut pensions? Raise taxes? None of these options are popular, but they will be decisions that will have to be made sooner or later.

Another problem is the efficiency of public spending. It is frustrating to see billions being spent on inefficient programs, while other services, such as healthcare or education, are constantly under pressure. If we want the welfare state to survive, we need to be much more efficient in the way we manage our resources.

Finally, we cannot forget tax fraud. Every time a company or citizen evades taxes, they are stealing resources that could be used to maintain the Welfare State. The problem is that the underground economy continues to be a scourge that is difficult to eradicate. If we do not combat this problem effectively, the system will be condemned to a slow decline.

Final Reflection

After all these years living in a Welfare State system, the only thing I can say for sure is that it is a double-edged sword. On the one hand, it protects you when you need it most, but on the other, it depends on all of us being responsible and contributing to maintain it. The Welfare State is not free; it is sustained by the taxes we pay and the efficient management of public resources. If we want it to continue to exist, we need to make a concerted effort to improve it and adapt it to the times ahead.

Now, I leave you with this question: Are we willing to make the necessary sacrifices for the Welfare State to survive or do we prefer to continue as we have been, ignoring the problems until it is too late?