1833 9 1846 The most regular built, scraped out, polished off, and well finished general welfare systems ever devised by the ingenuity of man, both as a mode of taxation and the manner of disbursement.]
1910 20 Feb. 6 a/2 (headline) Advantages of welfare system.
1977 (Nexis) 7 Jan. a1 The nation's $35.9 billion welfare system has become a confusing patchwork in which benefits vary enormously from state to state.
2004 H. Kennedy (2005) xi. 231 The mistake we were making was in turning our welfare system into the American equivalent, a meagre safety net.