Mapai (Hebrew: מַפָּא"י, an acronym for: Hebrew: מִפְלֶגֶת פּוֹעֲלֵי אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל Mifleget Poalei Eretz Yisrael, lit. "Workers' Party of the Land of Israel") was a centre-left political party in Israel, and was the dominant force in Israeli politics until its merger into the modern-day Israeli Labor Party in 1968. During Mapai's time in office, a wide range of progressive reforms were carried out, as characterised by the establishment of a welfare state, providing minimum income, security, and free (or almost free) access to housing subsidies and health and social services.