What does promote the general welfare mean in the preamble?

Answer 1

The promoting the general welfare was one of the purposes of the constitution. That is not to say, as many try to claim, that it is a duty. The preamble to the Constitution lists it as one of the purposes of writing the document and creating a republic by the document.

The other place the phrase is used is in Article 1 Section 8 where congress is given the power to lay and collect taxes for the defense and general welfare. But the purpose of that first clause there is not to give congress a power to provide for the general welfare but rather to give congress the power to lay and collect taxes.

Most simple it is a purpose of the constitution to be carried out through the enumerated powers of Article 1 Section 8. According to James Madison, the enumerated powers were, in fact, what is meant by the phrase general welfare. The question could be asked, "what should congress do within its limits to promote the general welfare" the answer would be the enumerated powers.

This is a quote from Federalist 41:

"Some, who have not denied the necessity of the power of taxation, have grounded a very fierce attack against the Constitution, on the language in which it is defined. It has been urged and echoed, that the power "to lay and collect taxes, duties, imposts, and excises, to pay the debts, and provide for the common defense and general welfare of the United States," amounts to an unlimited commission to exercise every power which may be alleged to be necessary for the common defense or general welfare. No stronger proof could be given of the distress under which these writers labor for objections, than their stooping to such a misconstruction.

Had no other enumeration or definition of the powers of the Congress been found in the Constitution, than the general expressions just cited, the authors of the objection might have had some color for it; though it would have been difficult to find a reason for so awkward a form of describing an authority to legislate in all possible cases. A power to destroy the freedom of the press, the trial by jury, or even to regulate the course of descents, or the forms of conveyances, must be very singularly expressed by the terms "to raise money for the general welfare."

But what color can the objection have, when a specification of the objects alluded to by these general terms immediately follows, and is not even separated by a longer pause than a semicolon? If the different parts of the same instrument ought to be so expounded, as to give meaning to every part which will bear it, shall one part of the same sentence be excluded altogether from a share in the meaning; and shall the more doubtful and indefinite terms be retained in their full extent, and the clear and precise expressions be denied any signification whatsoever? For what purpose could the enumeration of particular powers be inserted, if these and all others were meant to be included in the preceding general power? Nothing is more natural nor common than first to use a general phrase, and then to explain and qualify it by a recital of particulars. But the idea of an enumeration of particulars which neither explain nor qualify the general meaning, and can have no other effect than to confound and mislead, is an absurdity, which, as we are reduced to the dilemma of charging either on the authors of the objection or on the authors of the Constitution, we must take the liberty of supposing, had not its origin with the latter.

The objection here is the more extraordinary, as it appears that the language used by the convention is a copy from the articles of Confederation. The objects of the Union among the States, as described in article third, are "their common defense, security of their liberties, and mutual and general welfare." The terms of article eighth are still more identical: "All charges of war and all other expenses that shall be incurred for the common defense or general welfare, and allowed by the United States in Congress, shall be defrayed out of a common treasury," etc. A similar language again occurs in article ninth. Construe either of these articles by the rules which would justify the construction put on the new Constitution, and they vest in the existing Congress a power to legislate in all cases whatsoever. But what would have been thought of that assembly, if, attaching themselves to these general expressions, and disregarding the specifications which ascertain and limit their import, they had exercised an unlimited power of providing for the common defense and general welfare? I appeal to the objectors themselves, whether they would in that case have employed the same reasoning in justification of Congress as they now make use of against the convention. How difficult it is for error to escape its own condemnation!"

Answer 2

The answer to this question is based on the belief that it's about the US Congress. With that in mind, the US Congress creates "bills" that they want to become laws to benefit the general welfare and the common good of US citizens. The information here is used in a broad fashion to explain in general what Congress does.The US Congress has two branches. The Senate and the House of Representatives. If a bill is passed by both houses of Congress it is sent to the US President to sign and thus it becomes a law.

Examples of "bills" that have become laws to benefit the general welfare can be seen with some examples:

Bills concerning the expenditure of money originate in the House. A bill to raise the minimum wage would begin in the House and if it passes, the bill is sent to the Senate.

If all goes well, the wages of some of Americans lowest paid workers will be raised if the bill is signed into law by the President.

Taxes. In general tax revenue from the nation is allocated to funding government programs and to pay debts of the US Government. If it seems more revenue needs to be raised to do this, the House can pass a bill raising tariffs on goods imported to the USA, such as foreign made cars. The Senate agrees. The President signs the bill into law. Thus, raising tariffs on foreign made cars can be used to fund Federal programs to aid the elderly and also reduce the debt of the Federal Government which most people would agree benefits all US citizens.

Answer 3

to promote the general welfare is to contribute to the happiness and well-being of all the people. examples of that would be social security and food and drug laws.
provide welfare to those who can not afford it

This expression in the preamble to the U.S. Constitution, most definitely does NOT mean "provide public assistance" as the statement above suggests. "Welfare" did not have such a meaning yet! What WE call "welfare programs" were at that time called "poor relief". Until the 20th century such relief was largely the work of churches, private charities & local (and sometimes state) governments, NOT the federal government. So 'welfare programs' at the federal level would not even have been imagined by the founders.

"Welfare" referred to "well-being", and promoting the GENERAL welfare was a broad term in use at the time (we find in the Articles of Confederation & various other earlier colonial documents) to refer to the 'public good', or the well-being of ALL, as opposed to looking out for just the good of specific states, locales or classes of people.
Things like making laws, regulating commerce, educating the people etc...
To show general welfare you can show civic virtue
better the overall condition of the people of the U.S.A

Answer 4

Social Policy