The Welfare State in Action, 1947
The Danish creche, or day-care center, here shows the welfare state in action. Government programs to maintain the well-being of citizens became almost universally available in Europe, Canada, and (to a lesser extent) the United States. Children were seen as particularly important, given the loss of life in the war, so governments encouraged couples to reproduce through up-to-date health care systems, day-care centers, and generous family allowances to support family growth. (Hulton Archive / Getty Images.)