Social security is an entitlement because it is not as if
you pay in and only get back what you paid in. Instead, you receive benefits based on a
given formula. You are entitled to that amount per month for as long as you live,
regardless of whether you end up taking out more than you put
in.
As to why it has a negative connotation today, I would
argue that it certainly does not have a connotation as negative as that of welfare. The
reason for the negativity about entitlements is based on the fact that they are a major
contributor to our national debt problem. We have promised very high benefits to people
at a time when our ability to pay for those benefits is going down. I think that people
have a negative view of these entitlements not because we think the recipients are
unworthy, but because we know that the entitlements are not
sustainable.
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