Influence of Social Security on Minimization of Social Risks in Society

Abstract

It is argued that the transition in Ukraine from the command-administrative system that existed in the Soviet period on the basis of a monopoly for power, truth and property, to the market-based model led to a radical break in all the social, spiritual and economic foundations of the public life. As a result, there was a sharp decline in social protection. It is shown that this objectively leads to an increase in social tensions in society, which potentially exacerbates social risks. It is pointed out that under such conditions there is an urgent need to «reset» the social security system, which can be viewed as a means for minimizing social risks in society. The reasons for the emergence and formation of a welfare state aimed at protecting the most vulnerable citizens are discussed. The main historical stages of the development of social security as a social phenomenon are analyzed. The positive role of Christianity in the development of charity as a form of social protection for the needy is shown. It is proven that the implementation of the principles of justice and target group orientation in the activities of social security bodies minimizes the existing social risks in society. It is shown that rural poverty and large families increase the level of social risks. Attention is drawn to the fact that the COVID-19 pandemic and the aggressive war on the part of the Russian Federation are factors that pose significant social risks. It turns out that the reform of the social security system is based on the neoliberal model of developed European states, which is not adapted to the Ukrainian reality. Therefore, the ongoing economic transformations in the state did not have an effective system of necessary precautionary mechanisms for social protection in the face of a sharp decline in the living standards of the majority of the population. It turns out that the social security system, which was established in Soviet times, could not fully become a factor in minimizing social risks in society. It is emphasized that the implementation of reforms initiated in the social sphere, first of all, needs to be modernized and updated, which will allow it to become an important factor in minimizing social risks in society.