Which promotes greater personal responsibility, the free market or the welfare state? First, let’s look at what the free market and the welfare state are.

According to Wikipedia, “In economics, a free market is an economic system in which the prices of goods and services are determined by supply and demand expressed by sellers and buyers. Such markets, as modeled, operate without the intervention of government or any other external authority.” So the free market is just a system were the prices of products and services are determined based on supply and demand which are expressed by the buyers and sellers.

According to the dictionary, the welfare state is “a system whereby the government undertakes to protect the health and well-being of its citizens, especially those in financial or social need, by means of grants, pensions, and other benefits. The foundations for the modern welfare state in the US were laid by the New Deal programs of President Franklin D. Roosevelt.” So the welfare state is basically where the government interferes in public affairs and tries to fix it itself.

So, which promotes greater personal responsibility, the free market or the welfare state? Well, the free market is just a system were the prices of products and services are determined based on supply and demand which are expressed by the buyers and sellers, and the welfare state is basically where the government interferes in public affairs and tries to fix it itself. In my opinion, I think the free market promotes greater responsibility. The free market lets people do what they think is best, whereas the welfare state is just the government doing what they think is best.