Historical Foundations of Social Welfare in America Chapter 2

Why study history? Helps us to understand the current system and how we got to where we are today. Demonstrates how our social policy has evolved in ways that reflect the majority culture as well as changes in economic and social values.

Colonial Period (1690 – 1800) The settlers had no established social, political or economic system. Elizabethan Poor Laws adopted Reliance on the family to aid those in need. Government stepped in when family not able to help. Must be a legal resident of the community to be eligible for help. Help only provided when a dire need and goal was employment. Relief came from private and public aid.

A division between those who deserved help and those who did not Worthy poor – widows, orphans, the elderly and people with disabilities or those who couldn’t work Unworthy poor – able-bodied single adults and unmarried women with out of wedlock children – those who could work but chose not to. (Slaves and Native Americans denied help) Do we still have this division in our system today?

Key Theme Poverty was attributed to an individual’s shortcomings or weaknesses and not to any structural or societal failures.

Pre-Civil War Period ( ) Transition from an agriculture and rural spaces to big cities and industry (Industrialization) The problem of dependent individuals grew – mentally ill – disabled – elderly – orphans

Residential Institutions Emerged as a Solution Almshouses or poor houses- provided indoor relief

Life in an Institution was Hard The goal of institutions was to rehabilitate dependent persons and set examples of the proper way to live. Inhabitants were forced to work long, hard hours at jobs they were not physically able to do, because social problems were viewed as being rooted in the individual’s character. Industrialization made the gap between the rich and the poor bigger, but the idea of rugged individualism was still strong.

Civil War and Post-War Period ( ) Tremendous need for relief efforts Our understanding of social needs and differences awakened Freedmans’s Bureau – Relief to freed slaves – Managed abandoned property – Helped reunite families – Provided medical supplies and food rations – Established hospitals, schools and orphanages Disbanded in 1872, but significant as the first time the federal government got involved

Social Values and Structural Systems Made it Difficult African Americans who were free but had no resources to integrate into mainstream society. Women who began working and volunteering in social welfare services and public health services. Native Americans whose land was taken from them and children were forced to go to boarding schools. We began to feel that structural causes might be the root of poverty instead of individual causes…the beginnings of social work as a profession.

The Progressive Era ( ) Poverty was rampant…private charities no longer able to handle the problems Social Problems: Poor labor conditions (women and children) Poor health in crowded city dwellings Poor treatment of the mentally insane Poor treatment children and lack of education Poverty for growing numbers

Two Movements in Social Welfare Services Emerged Charity Organization Societies COS – “friendly visitors” would visit the poor in their homes and model appropriate behavior. – Mary Richmond advocated for training social workers as professionals Settlement House Movement developed to help immigrants socialize to America and overcome poor living conditions. – Jane Adams and Ellen Gates Starr founded the Hull House in Chicago Settlement Movement

Empowerment was at the heart of the Settlement Movement Credited with many social reforms: Regulation of child labor Compulsory school attendance laws Max. And min. hours and wages for female workers Worker’s compensation Mother’s pensions Standards for public sanitation and health Visiting nurses and visiting teachers Special courts for juvenile offenders Provided a model for social workers’ involvement in social welfare policy and social action.

Tremendous Change Immigrant workers formed unions, demanding better conditions and wages Women became involved in the work force and fought for the right to vote and access to higher education African Americans organized and formed the National Urban League in 1910 and the NAACP in 1912.

The Progressive Era Comes to a Close Immigration slowed, many were put to work and “Old American Values” resurfaced. The roaring 20’s brought economic prosperity and most were oblivious to the needs of the poor and social problems.

The Great Depression ( ) The end of prosperity…Stock market crashed 1929 and by 1933 almost 13 million people were out of work (25% of the work force) Private social welfare organizations could not handle the strain. The country’s mindset about poverty changed again.

Franklin Delano Roosevelt Elected President The New Deal – Federal Emergency Relif Act (FERA) – economic relief – Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) – conservation projects to employ young men – Works Progress Administration (WPA) created jobs in building govt. buildings FDR’s key advisors were Harry Hopkins, a social worker, and Frances Perkins as secretary of labor and the 1 st woman in the Cabinet.

Social Security Act of main Social Welfare programs: – 1) Social Insurance – Old age insurance for those at end of employment and unemployment insurance. Must pay in to get it out. Generally accepted – 2) Public Assistance – Old-age assistance, aid to dependent children and aid to the blind – based on economic need and designed to be temporary. Did not receive much support The goal was to reinforce the work ethic while providing a federal safety net of economic relief for those most in need.

The Impact of the Great Depression Significant social welfare policy shifts. Human rights given more priority The federal government’s involvement in social welfare and the nations economy were cemented These changes helped to push forward the development of professional social work.

World War II and the Postwar Era ( ) War resolved economic problems Role of the Federal Govt. expanded African American and Woman’s movements progressed

Social Reform ( ) The country seemed to be stable and prosperous. John F. Kennedy elected and discovered the misfortunes of many Americans living in poverty. Designed 2 major social welfare policy initiatives: – The Civil Rights Act – The War on Poverty –Economic Opportunity Act (created VISTA, Community Action, Food Stamps, Head Start, Medicare and Medicaid

The Retrenchment Years – Welfare Pull-back (1970’s – 90’s) The 1970’s More attention to the growing population of welfare recipients – unmarried women on AFDC A shift toward a punitive way of providing support Both the Womans Lib. Movement and gay rights movement struggled for equal rights and protection from discrimination. The 1980’s-90’s Strong conservative influence with the election of President Reagan and his 3 goals: – 1. shift responsibility back to states – 2. rely on private sector to provide for social welfare needs – 3. reduce federal spending for social welfare programs

Outcomes of the Pull-back period Little social welfare legislation passed Federal money moved to block grants Govt. support for Corporate America grew Americans with Disabilities Act passed Civil Rights Restoration Act expanded rights President Clinton passed the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) in 1993 Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act passed -1996

The New Century Ideas of limited government and individual responsibility strong… then 911 marked a significant period in history and President Bush instituted federal relief efforts on a major scale (Dept. of Homeland Security created) Medicare reform with prescription drug benefits Entered the war on Iraq in 2003 Hurricane Katrina in 2005 led to questions about the governments ability to aid in natural disasters

We really should learn from History… And be prepared to advocate for social welfare policy change