17 social welfare. copyright © houghton mifflin company. all rights reserved.17 - 2 figure 17.1:...

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Social Welfare

Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. 17 - 2

Figure 17.1: SSI, TANF, and Food Stamp Recipients, 1980-1998

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Statistical Abstract of the United States, 1999, 382.


Welfare PolicyBasic Concept: Argument over 1. Who benefits

2. Who pays

3. Citizens’ beliefs about social justice

- all vary with societal and economic change; also alter w/shifts in attitude about work, family, gov’t

Systemic Realities-Separation of powers/checks and balances means greater political effort/time for new policy adopt

-Federalism means larger state participatory role

Accepted versus Controversial Programs-Based on nature of distribution of benefits and costs. Wide: popular; Narrow: controversial

1. Wide benefits w/o means tests are popular (Social Security, Medicare)

2. Narrow benefits w/means testing are controversial (Aid to Families with Dependant Children, Food Stamps, Medicaid)

Who deserves to benefit?1. Public insists only those that cannot help themselves

2. Slow, steady change in views

3. Alternative view: determine each person’s fair share of national income; gov’t redistributes

4. American public prefers to give services, not money, to help the “deserving poor”

5. Late arrival behind 22 European nations; not clear until 1930s that fed. gov’t could play role


Table 17.1: Public Views on Reforming Social Security


Table 17.3: Opinions on Welfare by Race


Majoritarian Welfare PoliciesSocial Security Act of 19351. Passed during Great Depression, when state and private organizations overwhelmed

2. Based on European models

3. Got support from overwhelming Democratic majorities

4. Overlooked at time of passage during crisis

5. Part of this act later became AFDC

Medicare Act of 1965 (SS/Medicare: 2/3 of all federal welfare expenditures)1. Too controversial to be included in SSA; ’64 Dem landslide breaks deadlock

2. Opponents of plan controlled House Ways and Means Committee in Congress; blocked 30 yrs.

AFDC Program (Seen as client, rather than majoritarian program)1. Lost favor as some (Murray) claimed AFDC’s “high welfare benefits” made some young people

go on welfare rather than seek jobs; no direct evidence supports Murray’s claim

2. Program progressively lost legitimacy, over time

3. Perception of undeserving beneficiaries led to Temporary Aid for Needy Families under Clinton

4. 104th Congress (1994 Rep. landslide) led charge. Workfare, state block grants, fathers tracked

Enduring Question: What does the Constitution mean by “Promote the General Welfare”?

1. Some argue there is a Constitutional right to health, housing, etc.

2. Change means more government help accepted now. Majoritarian prgms protected, Clients’ not


Table 17.4: Key Votes on Major Welfare Proposals in the House

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