In 1941, the Costa Rican Social Security Fund (Caja Costarricense de Seguro Social, CCSS) was founded. Since then, its overall aim has been to provide pension and health benefits to the entire population. During the civil war of 1948, the process of social reforms in the country was briefly halted, but soon thereafter democracy was reinstated and the Political Constitution of the Second Republic was adopted. The scene was set for a process that made Costa Rica exemplary within the Latin American region.