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Dear Rosaria 
 
Governments have always have had some sort of social welfare function - 
even if it was episodic and impulsive, it always seemed to have done a 
power of good to the popular reputation of the government concerned. 
 
For historical material, you might want to read the Bible (specifically the 
Old Testament, with both the rules and recommendations given to kings and 
people, and the actual historical bits). 
 
There is also Professor Michael Hudson's work on other ancient 
civilisations in the Middle East. 
 
In relatively recent times, there is for example the work of the Clapham 
Sect in England (who basically cleaned up a highly corrupt England) in the 
eighteenth century, and the contribution of late nineteenth century 
northern Germany which (for example introduced the notion of pensions).   
 
Finally, you might want to look up the work that led to the founding of the 
first National Health Service in modern times, that is to say, in the UK 
immediately after World War II. 
 
prabhu guptara 
 
 
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