I agree that there is a good argument for investing in infrastructure and education and for spending money on *some* forms of welfare (it is after all an incredibly broad category of expenditure). I think the problem with our welfare system is that as it has grown over time a significant minority of people have come to think that they won't need to take responsibility their actions because regardless of their own decisions regarding employment, lifestyle choices leading to ill health or family planning the welfare system will pay for anything that they cannot.