"Society would be better off if the welfare system were abolished" is a normative statement, not a positive statement.

A normative statement expresses a value judgment about whether a situation is desirable or undesirable, focusing on what ought to be. It cannot be tested or validated through empirical observation or facts. The statement "Society would be better off if the welfare system were abolished" reflects an opinion or belief about what would improve society, rather than an objective, verifiable fact.