The Failed Welfare Revolution: America's Struggle over Guaranteed Income Policy
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | 4.76 (720 Votes) |
| Asin | : | 069117797X |
| Format Type | : | paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 320 Pages |
| Publish Date | : | 2016-05-14 |
| Language | : | English |
DESCRIPTION:
Brian Steensland is assistant professor of sociology at Indiana University.
Here, Brian Steensland tells the whole story for the first time--from why such an unlikely policy idea first developed to the factors that sealed its fate. During the 1960s and 1970s, policymakers in three presidential administrations tried to replace the nation's existing welfare system with a revolutionary program to guarantee Americans basic economic security. But Steensland also shows that some of the most potent obstacles to guaranteed income plans were cultural. Surprisingly from today's vantage point, guaranteed income plans received broad bipartisan support in the 1960s. This episode has largely vanished from America's collective memory. Most centrally, by challenging Americans' longstanding distinction between the "deserving" and "undeserving" poor, the plans thre
Caputo, Eastern Economic Journal. He has done a great service in so thoroughly deconstructing for the first time a neglected episode in the history of us (and Canadian) social policy."--Richard Pereira, Labour-Le Travail"A theoretically rich and historically detailed account of domestic policy centered on the 1970s."--Richard K. It is richly documented, draws effectively on theoretical ideas and transcends the limitations of many historical accounts by linking developments in the 1970s to current social welfare debates. Winner of the 2009 Best Book Award in Political Sociology, American Sociological AssociationCo-Winner of the 2009 Mary Douglas Prize for Best Book, Section on Sociology of Culture, American Sociological Association"This monograph represents a substantial achievement and a major addition to the literature on America's welfare state."--E