Sick of Work, Living on Hartz IV
Sick of work? There's Hartz IV!

Admittedly, the headline of this article couldn't be more provocative. But the title of this article was chosen deliberately to be this provocative, and it's meant to draw attention to a phenomenon that keeps causing unrest and emotionally charged debates within a welfare state, whether among politicians or at the regulars' table in the local village pub. At this point, one thing about "sick of work, living on Hartz IV" should be made clear: when we speak of a welfare state here, we mean Germany (Hartz IV being the German welfare benefit for the long-term unemployed, since replaced by the "Bürgergeld"), which in part sees itself as a welfare state. But being a welfare state doesn't mean at the same time sliding into absolute socialism. The same applies in a broader sense to our market economy, which sees itself, more or less, as a social free-market economy. In plain English, that means a hopefully healthy mix of liberal elements, social justice and also elements of personal responsibility.

Social justice and 2 opinions

If we return to politics or the regulars' table in terms of "sick of work, living on Hartz IV," there are usually 2 fundamentally different views in this debate. One side is convinced that we need considerably more welfare state. After all, there is poverty and hardship everywhere, no matter where you look. People, and especially children, who grow up in socially disadvantaged families and neighborhoods simply have it harder than children who grow up in the upper middle class, and thus in an environment that is not only more livable but also offers more options and prospects for later working life. On the other side of the debate, you find arguments that boil down to the idea that we have too much welfare state within Germany. That is, supporting people who don't go to work, for example through unemployment benefit II (Arbeitslosengeld 2), would only give these people even less reason to finally get moving.

The idea that we all have the same starting conditions and chances is simply a lie

The problem with the topic "sick of work, living on Hartz IV" is often that the people who "shoot" hard against the welfare state and point the finger at individual cases that can be described well by the slogan "sick of work, living on Hartz IV" are at the same time people who are barely living at the edge of the subsistence minimum and have anything but an easy life. Understandably, these people have a lot of anger inside them because of the social injustice that still exists in plenty even today within Germany. When you then manage to fight your way into a job that brings you only a few euros more per month than what you'd also get from unemployment benefit II, you're generally not necessarily satisfied with your life. What you have achieved, though, is a bit more dignity in your life. After all, who likes living at others' expense? It is precisely these people, who mostly suffer themselves from the unfair elements of our economy, who point the finger most at certain slackers and demand that we need fewer support measures. All in all, one thing has to be stated when it comes to this topic. Slackers who can be described well by the slogan we chose here do exist, and there's no need to hush them up. However, they are exceptions, and the function and scope of the welfare state must not be determined by a few troublemakers who try to exploit it. Instead, when it comes to the welfare state, more attention should be paid to where it helps and where it still needs to help much more, rather than concentrating on certain individual cases where the state's support measures fail in their function.15