The third forgotten fact is that welfarism today is no longer the alleviation of poverty but rather, the equalisation of wealth. Social security payments are but one aspect of the modern welfare system. They constitute the tip of the iceberg. In Australia, the state provides free hospital care and education. It has legislated to impose minimum wages. It controls almost every aspect of the economy in its efforts to provide people with benefits of one sort or another. There are innumerable price controls, price supports and product and service standards. Industries must satisfy a plethora of regulations meant to ensure consumer or employee satisfaction. All these benefits are granted to the society at large, irrespective of the individual's capacity to satisfy his own needs. Welfare is no longer the entitlement of the poor or needy but is the expectation of all persons. All this entails a price. The financing of the pervasive welfare system requires taxation and regulation. The welfare bill is met by taking away personal incomes and personal freedom. The modern welfare system is established and maintained on the pattern of taking individual wealth and distributing it to the public at large. The underlying principle of the welfare state is that the state and not the individual should bear primary responsibility for personal wellbeing.