>>510481057Why Welfare Is Crucial to Social Cohesion
1. Prevents Widespread Poverty and Destitution
Welfare acts as a safety net for those who are ill, disabled, unemployed, or underpaid.
Without it, millions would instantly fall below the poverty line, unable to afford rent, food, utilities, or transportation.
Prevents extreme class stratification, which historically leads to unrest.
2. Protects Public Health and Social Stability
Sick and disabled people get income to survive, allowing them to access housing, heating, food, and medical care.
Without it, there would be a rapid increase in malnutrition, untreated illness, suicides, and homelessness, which would spill into healthcare systems, policing, and emergency services.
Welfare is cheaper than chaos clean-up.
3. Reduces Crime by Minimising Desperation
Desperate people commit crimes. Welfare reduces desperation.
Areas with better welfare access have lower rates of theft, drug abuse, and social disorder.
End welfare, and petty and violent crime will explode almost immediately—think mass shoplifting, break-ins, theft of essentials.
4. Maintains Economic Circulation
Welfare recipients spend their money locally: on groceries, utilities, rent, public transport, etc.
That spending supports businesses, keeps the economy alive at the bottom end, and sustains demand for goods and services.
Removing welfare would collapse demand in low-income areas overnight.
5. Acts as a Shock Absorber for Market Failures
Recessions, pandemics, job losses—all these are cushioned by welfare systems.
Without welfare, economic downturns would result in immediate mass homelessness, starvation, and public disorder.
Welfare gives capitalism a human firewall.