The Question of Welfare State in Natural Law Theories
The Question of Welfare State in Natural Law Theories

Summary/Abstract: The contribution points to the fact that the historical research in German historiographieshas already revealed the evolution of the idea of the welfare state in the reforms ofEnlightenment absolutism. In this research Christian Wolff has played an important part;he contributed to the establishment of the ideas of public assistance within the scope ofnatural law. The contribution aims to be a part of those research results. Furthermore, itcomes with a revised approach towards the importance of charity. Charity did not onlygain moral value but it was a fundamental source of wealth. To follow the evolution ofthe idea of public assistance of the state and the change of opinion in terms of charity,the contribution deals with Pufendorf´s, Wollf´s, Justi´s and Sonnefels´s arguments, as intheir theories the Habsburg monarchy revealed its motivation for state leadership. Whenit came to poor-relief, those thinkers argued that the state is obliged to provide its citizenswith educational opportunities and also employment so that they could become independentand stand on their own feet. The state is also obliged to care for the poor who areunemployed and cannot earn their living because of their physical or mental disabilities orsenility. When it came to the issue of charity, those philosophers were dissenting. Samuelvon Pufendorf and Christian Wolff admitted that charity has moral values whereas Josefvon Sonnenfels banned charitable donations. For the ongoing research it will be advantageousto compare those arguments with the Christian point of view in terms of welfareand charity in the Habsburg monarchy.

• Details
• Contents