Social is called a state that has reached the heights of evolution, the highest development of the state system. The state is social when its internal policy is aimed at creating favorable conditions and a high standard of living for citizens. The existing foundations of the welfare state are enshrined in its constitution, which provides guarantees that protect the health and labor of people. The state sets the minimum wage, support for families, fatherhood, motherhood and childhood, senior citizens and people with disabilities. The constitution contains a description of the system of social public services, established state pensions and benefits. Other guarantees of ensuring state social protection of citizens, for example, voluntary insurance, charity classes, are also being considered.
In Russia, the foundations of a welfare state are contained in articles of the Constitution numbered thirty-seven to forty-three and in separate federal laws that describe measures to support veterans, social services for Russian citizens (1995), and people with disabilities and their social protection in the Russian Federation ( 1995) and others.
As a rule, democracy has the foundations of a social state. In our country, for the first time, such democratic provisions were recorded that allow people to independently determine their nationality and indicate it. There is no ban on the use of the native language, there is freedom of choice in communication, education and training.
Being a multinational state, Russia is interested in observing the principles of equality, which are enshrined in the state constitution. The principles of self-determination of peoples living in Russia were also reflected there. Equal rights and freedoms of citizens, regardless of nationality, race and language, have been established. Moreover, any actions designed to limit human rights based on their national, racial or linguistic affiliation are prohibited.
If we consider the signs of a social state, then these include freedom of labor, a ban on forced labor. Citizens have the right to independently choose a profession. Working conditions must comply with safety and hygiene rules , and payment must be made without discrimination on any grounds. The salary should not be lower than the established minimum, which is fixed by the Federal Law. The state should take care of citizens and protect them from unemployment. The basic principle of a social state is to equalize citizens in their rights and redistribute state revenues in such a way that tax revenues serve to smooth social inequality between citizens.
The existing foundations of the welfare state are primarily aimed at supporting the protection of the health and labor of people in order to provide them with a high standard of living. At the same time, if the state is experiencing instability in the economy or the political environment, this affects the social vulnerability of citizens. Modern Russia does not fully comply with the concept of a social state, and many of the social guarantees enshrined in the Constitution remain so far only on paper.
There are models of the social state that are prevalent in the world and which have rich experience in social support of the population. These include German, Japanese, American, Swedish and others. Many of them, previously considered exemplary, now do not meet public challenges and become worthless. People who do not want to engage in low-paid labor prefer not to work at all and receive unemployment benefits. The current socio-economic situation of Western Europe is in conflict with the principles underlying the welfare state.
We can conclude, despite the fact that the social state is oriented towards the well-being of citizens and their dignified life, it is capable of negatively affecting the situation of the country's population. Therefore, it is very important that the state meets the modern requirements necessary for the functioning of the country.