What does social security fundamentally serve as?

Social security fundamentally serves as a financial backup for lost income due to various circumstances. This encompasses a broad spectrum of situations where individuals may find themselves without sufficient income, such as unemployment, disability, retirement, or the death of a breadwinner. The system is designed to provide financial support to ensure that individuals can maintain a basic standard of living when they are unable to work or earn an income. It covers more than just one specific group or type of benefit, illustrating its comprehensive nature in protecting against various income-loss scenarios.

In contrast, focusing solely on work-related incidents would limit the scope of social security significantly. Similarly, defining it strictly as a pension scheme for retired workers ignores the essential aspects of income support provided for those unable to work due to other reasons. Finally, a concentration on maternity benefits would reduce social security to only one of its numerous functions, which is not representative of its overall mission to provide economic security across multiple life circumstances.