Der Verfassungsauftrag: Ein sozialer Rechtsstaat
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Der Verfassungsauftrag: Ein sozialer Rechtsstaat
Sozialer Fortschritt, Vol. 60 (2011), Iss. 1–2 : pp. 1–4
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Eichenhofer, Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Eberhard, Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena, Rechtswissenschaftliche Fakultät, Lehrstuhl für Sozialrecht und Bürgerliches Recht, Carl-Zeiss-Straße 3, 07740 Jena.
Abstract
The Constitutional Demand: To Establish a Welfare State based on the Rule of Law
The article outlines the concept of a ’sozialer Rechtsstaat", or ’welfare state based on the rule of law", which is found in the German Basic Law. The concept should provide a normative foundation for social policy. It is meant to lay the constitutional ground for welfare state actions and to justify them. As is the case with the terms ’democracy", ’the rule of law" and ’federalism", the notion of a ’welfare state" is to be understood as one of the main characteristics of the state. However, its normative content is hard to determine. Therefore, the concept should be interpreted in the light of the UN's emphasis on those social human rights that cover the right to work, good health and housing, social security and welfare.