Social democracies are political systems that prioritize social welfare and democratic values. There are several synonyms that can be used to describe these types of government structures including welfare states, people's democracies, democratic socialism, and social market economies. "Welfare states" refer to a political system that emphasizes the well-being of its citizens through social policies and programs, such as healthcare, education, and housing. "People's democracies" describe political systems that prioritize direct democracy and participatory decision-making. "Democratic socialism" refers to political systems that seek to balance democratic values with socialist principles, such as public ownership of certain industries. "Social market economies" are political systems that combine free-market capitalism with social welfare policies.