Basics on Social Democracy “But a just society should always be concerned with what the social situations of its members require. Food, education and health care are goods that every society worldwide should try to supply its poorest members in all situations.” 12 process of negotiations, especially social democrats will always demand social justice. However, it is never a mistake to remember Rawls's thought experiment: how would you decide, if the chances are high to become one of the impoverished of the society soon? Justice stands for equal opportunities and equality before the law, regardless of the background, wealth and gender of an individual. Solidarity The concept'solidarity', as one of the three social democratic core values, is probably the least discussed. Unlike justice and freedom, solidarity is not an important term within the humanitarian discourse. 6 Nevertheless, the idea dates back to ancient times. Already the bible requests a universal solidarity, called charity, in the form of an unlimited loving kindness towards all human beings. Charity does not only embrace a specific group or society but the whole human race. In a more political context, solidarity is used as a description of the ties within a concrete group(e.g. a society). These ties usually exist because of a similar mode of life and shared values. Solidarity means assistance and support between the strong and the vulnerable, the rich and the poor, and the old and the young. This readiness to stand up for each other often exists within families. Social democracy demands to extend it to a societal level. Though actions of solidarity are mostly selflessly motivated(if altruism is possible at all), they are surely often combined with some degree of self­interest. For instance, the much postulated solidarity between the more economically developed countries and the developing countries results, on the one hand, in a sharing of wealth, and on the other, it is a way to secure global peace and trade through which the economically developed countries profit. Another example is: if a rich becomes poor, he/she needs also help. Therefore solidarity is also important for the future individual “security”. In the organization of modern states, solidarity has played a substantial role. Tax-funded welfare policy relies on it. The social insurance schemes (protection against unemployment, health-care, pension) are joint financed programs, which provide security for the individual and help to ensure equality of opportunity. This is an institutionalized form of solidarity. The first social insurance schemes arose when the processes of industrialization and urbanization forced people to leave their villages to search for work. As a consequence families were separated and the former social insurance system which was based on the family structure did not function anymore. Traditionally, young family members insured the survival of the old and the rich cared for those who had less fortune. Because of the ongoing socio-economic changes in the 19th century, institutionalized social insurances schemes had to take the place of the traditional family structure. They are the practical expressions of the peoples' insight that the concept of solidarity had to be extended from the family to a societal level. The will to form a more just society and the fear to end up on the bottom part 6 The concept of solidarity is similar to the call for'fraternité' during the French Revolution.