Raghav Agrawal
When you think about it what exactly is the end goal of welfare, of social good, can we describe it in concrete mundane routines and touchpoints and outcomes?
If we strip the moralism away, the end goal of welfare can be described as:
A society where the average person’s daily routines contain fewer avoidable frictions, fears, and dependencies and more reliable pathways to self-directed stability, dignity, and contribution.
Raghav Agrawal
Welfare succeeds when good lives become easy to maintain and bad outcomes become hard to fall into.
It’s not about distributing money, it’s about distributing predictability, repairability, and agency into the everyday texture of life.
Raghav Agrawal
Health & Mind
When you feel sick or anxious, you can see someone without financial dread. Medicine, counseling, or rest doesn’t require bureaucratic negotiation.
Preventive habits (sleep, diet, exercise) are supported by the built environment.
Welfare outcome: Predictable care, not catastrophic care. Reduced allostatic load (chronic stress burden).
Raghav Agrawal
Learning & Agency
Learning doesn’t end with school; access is open, modular, and flexible. Skills are recognized by what you can do, not where you studied. Curiosity isn’t penalized by cost or prestige filters.
Welfare outcome: Distributed capability; lifelong autonomy in shaping your future.
Raghav Agrawal
Civic & Social Belonging
You can voice a complaint or idea without fear or humiliation. Public spaces are safe, clean, and co-owned.
Institutions respond transparently and predictably.
Welfare outcome: Trust loops between citizen and system.
Raghav Agrawal
Environmental Touchpoints
Air, water, and noise are tolerable.
Public transport is reliable; walking feels safe. Energy systems don’t punish the poor for living.
Welfare outcome: Dignified coexistence with the environment, not survival despite it.
Raghav Agrawal
Housing
Housing stability, predictable living costs, environmental safety.
The feeling of “I can plan tomorrow because today is secure.”
You wake up without worrying about eviction, leaks, or power cuts. Rent, repairs, and energy costs are predictable. If something breaks, help is accessible and affordable.
Raghav Agrawal
Food and Nutrition
Grocery prices are stable; nutritious food is nearby.
You can cook or eat without debt or dependence. Children’s meals are not skipped for budget reasons.
Welfare outcome: Adequate calories + nutrition as a background condition of life, not a luxury.
Raghav Agrawal
Work & Livelihood
You can find meaningful, decently paid work without insider access. Skill learning and job transitions feel achievable. You’re not terrified of falling behind if you take a break or get sick.
Welfare outcome: Economic security + skill mobility. “My effort changes my situation” becomes true for most people.
Rich Felker
@impactology This is why capitalism is antithetical to it.
Capitalism thrives on unpredictability, so that there are always gambles where somebody comes out on top through luck, prior advantage making it possible to absorb bad outcomes, or insider knowledge.
GNU social JP is a social network, courtesy of GNU social JP管理人. It runs on GNU social, version 2.0.2-dev, available under the GNU Affero General Public License.
All GNU social JP content and data are available under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 license.