...the question is whether the historical context from which it grew is still in place today. Today we have at least three "layers" of social security in most

...the question is whether the historical context from which it grew is still in place today. Today we have at least three "layers" of social security in most European countries: The first layer is that government makes sure everyone has employment and makes it difficult for employers to get rid of employees, even those ones that cost the company more than they're worth. Family law extends the coverage to everyone else, e.g. for non-bread-winning spouses (even ex-spouses), it's the bread-winner that's on the hook (so, transitively, the bread-winner's employer) and for children the parents (again: ultimately the parents' employers). The second layer is mandatory social insurance. The third layer is usually some kind of outright government handout that kicks in for people who, for some reason, fall through both the first AND the second layer of social security. (e.g. [1] in Austria) My guess would be that each layer was brought in at a time when the layers below were not yet in place, though, maybe, someone can provide the necessary facts to the contrary here. I just wish they'd do away with all that crap, and instead just implement universal basic income, paid for by the tax payer. [1] https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bedarfsorientierte_Mindestsicherung https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bedarfsorientierte_Mindestsich...