The historical event that catalyzed the establishment of the modern welfare state is generally considered to be the Great Depression of the 1930s. This widespread economic collapse led to unprecedented unemployment and suffering, revealing the inadequacies of existing social safety nets. In response, governments, particularly in the United States under Franklin D. Roosevelt's New Deal, began implementing various social welfare programs aimed at providing relief, recovery, and reform. These initiatives marked the beginning of a more active government role in economic and social welfare, laying the groundwork for contemporary welfare state policies that address poverty, unemployment, and social equity.