>I genuinely don't understand your point. "Nanny state" and "welfare state" are synonymous, at least in the U.S.
The term "nanny state" typically refers to legislation that aims to protect people from their own worst impulses - laws that ban the sale of large-sized soft drinks, sin taxes on cigarettes and alcohol, and giving tickets to drivers who don't wear a seat belt would all be examples of the "nanny state". In contrast, the "welfare state" refers to redistributive social programs that aim to mitigate the effects of capitalism on vulnerable populations (i.e. Social Security, Medicare, Unemployment Insurance, etc. ).
The term "nanny state" typically refers to legislation that aims to protect people from their own worst impulses - laws that ban the sale of large-sized soft drinks, sin taxes on cigarettes and alcohol, and giving tickets to drivers who don't wear a seat belt would all be examples of the "nanny state". In contrast, the "welfare state" refers to redistributive social programs that aim to mitigate the effects of capitalism on vulnerable populations (i.e. Social Security, Medicare, Unemployment Insurance, etc. ).