The paradigmatic use of the term ‘social security’ is the core, ORIGINAL Social Security Act.

Security for workers has constantly been a primary concern of the International Labour Organisation. From 1919 to 1936 a series of international labour Conventions were adopted by the Conference laying down international standards for maternity insurance, workmen's compensation, sickness insurance, unemployment provision, and benefit rights of workers who change their country of residence. ' All these Conventions deal with some aspect of social security, although, as is pointed out in the article below, the term " social security " was not then in general use. During the war a demand grew for comprehensive social security schemes of the kind that have since been adopted by several countries. This demand found expression at the International Labour Conference in 1944, which included in the Declaration of Philadelphia " the extension of social security measures to provide a basic income to all in need of such protection and comprehensive medical care " among the aims to be furthered by the International Labour Organisation2 , and adopted Recommendations 3 designed to promote security of employment, security of income and security of the power to work-the three essentials, according to the author of the following article, of a social security scheme. This article, by an eminent French authority, gives an account of the experience of France in the development of social security.

IN MOST countries today social security schemes are being plan- ned or put into execution. Yet both term and idea are new. The Federal Social Security Act, voted by the United States Congress in 1935, appears to have given the term its first official status ; while the Beveridge Report, and subsequently the International Labour Conference at Philadelphia, mark the starting point of the remark- able process by which the idea of social security has spread through- out the world.