State, Welfare and utilitarism

Abstract

Abstrat: This study proposes a theoretical revision of State's role to promoting welfare with the purpose of emphasizing different point-of-views developed by the most important authors of classic utilitarism. This theoretical review begins with Adam Smith's The Wealth of the Nations, which influenced the development of labor value theory as well as conducted utilitarists towards harmony and welfare maximization concepts, as a result of the individual action and trade propensity. Following that, we discuss some "correctionsâ€? made by Say in Smith's work, in order to accommodate it to his own utilitarist approach and to the Markets Law. Sênior and Bastiat follow this line of thought also. Although, this apparent unanimity is broken down by dissonant voices like that of Malthus, Bentham and Stuart Mill, who point to State intermediation as the way of promoting welfare.