They anticipated the welfare state's shameful acts (4,4)

I believe the answer is:

poor laws

'they anticipated the welfare state's' is the definition.
(19th-century legislation)

'shameful acts' is the wordplay.
'shameful' becomes 'poor'.
'acts' becomes 'laws' (law is a kind of act).
'poor'+'laws'='POOR LAWS'

(Another definition for poor laws that I've seen is " Legislation giving relief to the needy".)

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