Social Welfare Policy

Abstract

U.S. social welfare policy is fragmented and multifaceted. These characteristics date back to the origins of the Social Security Act (SSA) of 1935 and have endured through many periods of reform. The lack of a universal or comprehensive social policy is a distinguishing feature of American politics which has been reinforced through federalism and through the underlying work ethic of the U.S. economic system. During the eight years of the Reagan Administration efforts to dismantle, to restructure or to reform existing social programs were only partially successful. One might cynically observe that another president has come and gone, but the basic structure of U.S. social programs remains largely intact (Palmer and Sawhill, 1982; 1984).