The Welfare System since 1960

Paper Summary:

This paper discusses how compared to other countries, the United States does not have a generous welfare system. The paper reports that unlike other countries, there is no federal paid maternity leave, for instance, or family allowances and no national health insurance. The paper further discusses how ideas have changed regarding reproduction and women's roles in society, and these have made an impact on the welfare state.

From the Paper:

"During the Nixon era, thinkers seriously debated establishing a universal basic income for all citizens. Some officials feared, however, that employers would "use the increased income received by the poor as an excuse to lower the wages that they pay these employees." In other words employers would say, "Well, you are getting money from the government, so you don't need me to pay you so much." They also feared that a "floor" under the income of poor families might actually operate "as a ceiling on earned income" so that the poor would actually be worse off instead of better (Block & Somers, 2003). The idea of a guaranteed annual income was defeated.
In 1988 the Family Support Act was signed into law. Single mothers on welfare had to participate in Job Opportunities and Basic Skills Training Program if they wanted assistance. In 1996 Temporary Assistance for Needy Families was enacted, which limited the length of time a person could receive benefits. Thus, public programs that were once designed to discourage women from working outside their homes have been transformed and now require women to get jobs."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Block, F. and Somers, M. (2003). In the shadow of speenhamland: Social policy and the old poor law. Politics & Society, 31 (2), 283-323.
• Cheng, T. C. (2003). Welfare recidivism among former welfare recipients. Families in Society, 84 (1), 63-74.
• Edelhoch, M. (2003). Who is coming on welfare now, and why? Policy & Practice of Public Human Services, 61 (3), 22-25.
• White, L. A. (2002). Ideas and the welfare state: Explaining childcare policy development in Canada and the United States. Comparative Political Studies, 35 (6), 713-743.

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