Welfare kapitalismus

deal with it. The position of the working class could be improved either by the state or by the
workers’ movement and the unions, while the third possible actor was the entrepreneurial class
itself. The principle whereby it took upon itself the obligation to look after the social security of
its workers is described, particularly in American literature, as welfare capitalism, which was particularly widespread in the United States of America. Its heyday was the 1900–1930 period. This
study presents a definition of this term and analyses the question of the motives and motivations
behind the American entrepreneurs who started taking social care of their employees. The article
shows that these motives were very diverse. Although welfare capitalism is primarily understood
to be a pragmatic concept, the philanthropic motives involved also had some weight. It is pointed
out that American welfare capitalism shared a number of features with the industrial paternalism
that was widespread throughout Europe. Hence usage of the concept of welfare capitalism can
also enhance research into the social policy of industrial works in the Czech lands. The text also
provides a lively discussion of the success or failure of welfare capitalism and of its duration.