A political system defended by contemporary liberals. In this regime free functioning of market is allowed at the stages of production and consumption, but the state interferes in the economic process at the stage of distribution of goods to protect those who are not able to earn enough for their living. Mechanism which the state uses to attain this aim is (mainly progressive) taxation of those who earn and posses a lot and transfer of so collected resources to the poor. Such a transfer may take a form of direct monetary help to the those who do not earn enough or could be given as in-kind provision. The latter means that the poor are given free or subsidized access to certain essential services such as: housing, medical care, education, etc. This redistribution of property may be more or less comprehensive. That is, the state can aim only at satisfaction of everyone's basic needs or it can try to secure much higher level of welfare to all its citizens. It is usually advocated that the state should take as much as it can from the rich and stop with redistribution of wealth only at point when it endangers economic productivity. There are several types of welfare state.

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