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Criticizers of welfare state point out that the actual mental 'welfare', happiness, might not relate to that of material one (usually the usage of antidepressants is high in 'welfare states). Also excessive state care of citizens might lead to harmful amount of humility and lack of pride, for one, resulting in decrease of private entrepreneuring and degradation of the highest science.
Furthermore, the Welfare State idea is criticized by virtue of the fact, that the redistribution of income needed to fund government welfare services is often quite high, resulting in high taxation levels, especially in Welfare States such as Denmark (Tax level of 50,4 % of the GNP in 2002) and Sweden (Tax level of 50,3% of the GNP in 2002). Critics of the welfare state also argue that these government services are in fact inefficient and thus expensive, compared to what you would get for your money in nations with less welfare, such as the USA.
Examples of welfare states: