Social security is state aid to people with difficulties in meeting their basic needs.
Social security is a program financed or administered by the government to meet the basic needs of people without resources . They are generally aimed at those living in poverty , the disabled, large families and the elderly.
The first step to know precisely the meaning of the concept is to establish its etymological origin. Specifically, we can determine that the first word that gives it shape, insurance , comes from Latin and more precisely from the word securus which can be translated as "calm." It is an adjective resulting from the sum of the prefix se – and the noun cura , which is synonymous with “care or concern.” The second word of this term, social , also has its etymological origin in Latin. In his case it comes from the name socius which can be determined to mean "companion."
Origin of social security
The notion of social security was born in Germany , when Chancellor Otto von Bismarck promoted the Health Insurance Law in 1883 . In the United States , the concept began to become popular with the Social Security Act of 1935 .
According to the definition provided by the International Labor Organization (ILO) , social security is the protection that society provides to all its members, through different public measures.
The role of the State
Social security benefits are comprehensive and inalienable. The State is obliged to grant these benefits and cannot leave its attention to private undertakings.
In other words, the State must promote the system of mandatory mutual aid that offers coverage to citizens in different situations, such as the loss of work capacity or the inability to generate income that allows them to satisfy their basic needs .
The elderly usually have the support of social security.
Social security in Spain
In the case of Spain, the social security regime has its origins in 1883 , is currently regulated by article 41 of the Constitution and is divided into two sub-regimes. Thus, first of all we find the general one , thanks to which it is possible to protect, help and protect groups such as hospitality professionals, domestic employees, workers in the agricultural sector or various permanent permanent employees .
Secondly, there is a network of various special regimes that are responsible for helping and protecting professionals who, due to their place of work or the conditions in which they carry out their activity, need more specific support. These would include civil servants, self-employed or self-employed workers, and employees whose field of work is the sea.
The purpose of assistance
The function of social security, in general, is to protect people from unforeseen events at work and natural events such as births, illnesses , death or others. The benefits can be provided directly by the State or by engaging society in general for this.
It should be noted that events that generate economic needs that require attention due to job loss or the emergence of additional expenses are known as social charges .