What is the name for any country that provides extensive social services at little or no direct cost to consumers?
A. a welfare state
B. a socialist state
C. a communist state
D. a collective state
I chose B, but supposedly that is not correct?
B is correct. Many European countries are socialist states and provide free medical care and education for their citizens.
hmmm...Then why did I get it wrong on my test? Weird
I don't know. Please ask your teacher.
The correct answer is A. a welfare state. A welfare state is a country that provides extensive social services at little or no direct cost to consumers. These social services include healthcare, education, and social security, among others. The government of a welfare state typically funds these services through taxation and redistributes resources to ensure equal access for all citizens.
Option B, a socialist state, refers to a political and economic system where the means of production and distribution are owned and controlled by the state or the community as a whole. While some socialist states may provide social services, not all of them do so extensively or at no direct cost to consumers.
Option C, a communist state, refers to a state governed by a communist party that aims to establish a classless society based on common ownership of the means of production. The provision of social services can vary in communist states, but it is not a defining characteristic.
Option D, a collective state, is not a commonly used term in political science or economics and is not synonymous with a country that provides extensive social services at little or no direct cost to consumers. Therefore, it is not the correct answer in this context.
In summary, while socialism and communism may involve aspects of social welfare, the term specifically used to describe a country that provides extensive social services at little or no direct cost to consumers is a welfare state.