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The Political Economy of a Living Wage pp 161–199Cite as

Palgrave Macmillan

Social Security: Protection from Poverty in Old Age and Unemployment

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Part of the book series: Palgrave Studies in American Economic History ((AEH))

Abstract

This chapter will look at two New Deal programs that used the tax system to fund unemployment insurance and old-age pensions as part of the SSA of 1935. The focus in the first part of this chapter will be on the views of the supporters of the SSA; the second part will deal with its critics. In both parts, the discussion will revolve around a living wage. It will also describe how unemployment insurance and old-age pensions were part of a consumerist New Deal program to increase purchasing power. Still, the relationship between social security and a living wage will be the main focus of this chapter.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. St. Mary’s College of Maryland, St. Mary’s City, Maryland, USA

    Donald Stabile

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  1. Donald Stabile
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Stabile, D. (2016). Social Security: Protection from Poverty in Old Age and Unemployment. In: The Political Economy of a Living Wage. Palgrave Studies in American Economic History. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-32473-9_5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-32473-9_5

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  • Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-32472-2

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