Exactly, a social safety net still does exist in free societies, its just provided by family and community willingly rather than by some far off government. Face-to-face charity works for the most party, there's a system of accountability. People who abuse small-scale family help get known for such as the help dries up. Also, with face-to-face the receivers of such help often feel gratitude and obligation to move their life to a point where they no longer need the help.

When that help starts coming from an anonymous governing body, it turns into an entitlement with no accountability.