The only countries with a welfare state or something like a welfare state are in Europe, mostly Western Europe, in Japan, Korea, Taiwan, the United States, Canada, and Australia and New Zealand.

What do these countries have in common?

They are the RICH COUNTRIES. They are the countries with the highest taxes. They are also the countries with high levels of education, and longer periods of subsidized education. Nearly all of them have socialized healthcare to some extent.

What countries lack a welfare state?

Mexico. Central America. Probably most of South America. Most of Africa, excepting perhaps South Africa and Libya (which was kind of communist), somewhat. Russia. Saudi Arabia. The rest of the world.

They also have low taxes. They have lower levels of education, generally, and some even have populations of illiterates. Some don't require education to high school. The educated often leave the country to go to one of those high-tax countries.

Also, education and health care are part of the welfare state, except in the US, where health care is mostly a private business.