The Inca empire was the largest empire that ever existed in pre-Columbian America. It lasted for about a century between 1438 and 1572 and its advanced architectural monuments at Machu Picchu are a great fascination and mystery to many people. Today, there is much debate among historians, questioning whether the Inca Empire actually resembled a modern welfare state or how it could be compared to the government of the Aztec Empire. Indeed, there are certain laws and policies in Inca history that would prove the argument of those who say that it was in fact like an early welfare state and that its government really could not be compared to that of the Aztecs to be considered true. With this in mind, we must first understand what a welfare state is before we can understand how the Inca Empire demonstrated that it was one. A welfare state consists of a government that takes care of its people and provides them with certain measures of assistance. The goal of a welfare state is to create a balance in the economic equality of its citizens or at least guarantee them a certain minimum standard of living (wiseGEEK, p. 1). Education, housing, health care, pensions and unemployment insurance are among the things that a modern welfare state offers its people today. Although these are rather expensive, government insurance programs and/or government taxes normally help pay off these debts while in some countries certain conditions must be met before an individual can benefit from any assistance. . States, however, face certain difficulties. problems trying to run this way. The most common is usually not being able to create or implement an effective system. It can be quite difficult trying to provide for everyone...... middle of paper ......GALE|CX3437500379&docType=GALE>. “Ancient Aztec Government.” Ancient Aztec government. Aztec History, nd Web. December 02, 2013. . “Britannica School”. Britannica School. Encyclopedia Britannica, nd Web. December 6, 2013. http://school.eb.com/levels/high/article/109431. “Inca Empire: one of the best governments of Antiquity.” Inca Empire: One of the best governments of Antiquity. Travel diary to Peru, nd Web. December 06, 2013. . Incas: Lords of Gold and Glory. Alexandria, Virginia: Time-Life, 1992. Print. Lost civilizations. Wyborny, Sheila. The Aztec Empire. San Diego: Blackbirch, 2004. Print Holetzky, Sherry and Bronwyn Harris. “What is a welfare state?” » WiseGeek. Guess, November 27, 2013. Web. December 06. 2013. .