Definition
Government benefits automatically provided to citizens who meet eligibility criteria, regardless of budgetary constraints. Called 'entitlements' because you're entitled to them by law, not because recipients act entitled (though politicians love conflating the two).
Example Usage
Social Security and Medicare are entitlement programs that consume over 40% of the federal budget and are considered politically untouchable.
Origin
From legal terminology meaning 'having a right to,' popularized in U.S. political discourse in the 1960s
Fun Fact
The term has become so politically charged that some advocates prefer 'earned benefits' to avoid negative connotations.
Source: Federal budgeting and social policy terminology
Related Terms
Translate This Term
See “entitlement program” in Corporate Speak, Gen-Z Slang, Pirate Speak, and more.
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