[Personal responsibility and solidarity]. / Solidarität und Eigenverantwortung--Spannung oder Gleichklang?

One of the most fundamental characteristics of a liberal order is that both the state and the law follow the principle of personal responsibility and assign to the citizens the responsibility for the consequences of their voluntary decisions. But to rely primarily on the principle of personal responsibility in the health care system holds the danger of attributing the cause of their health problems to the already disadvantaged ("blaming the victim") and of releasing the welfare state from its responsibility to foster social structures that support health-conscious decisions.