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This expression in the preamble to the U.S. Constitution, most definitely does NOT mean "provide public assistance" as the statement above suggests. "Welfare" did not have such a meaning yet! What WE call "welfare programs" were at that time called "poor relief". Until the 20th century such relief was largely the work of churches, private charities & local (and sometimes state) governments, NOT the federal government. So 'welfare programs' at the federal level would not even have been imagined by the founders.

"Welfare" referred to "well-being", and promoting the GENERAL welfare was a broad term in use at the time (we find in the Articles of Confederation & various other earlier colonial documents) to refer to the 'public good', or the well-being of ALL, as opposed to looking out for just the good of specific states, locales or classes of people.

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Erin Hand

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3y ago

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