Welfare reform: from illusion to reality

Welfare reform is a concept that has a relatively narrow meaning in the United States, because it is associated with the Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) program. Since the 1960s, several attempts have been made to reform AFDC, but it was not until 1988 that the program was changed substantially. The alterations in the AFDC program reflect an ideological shift in American culture that is increasingly conservative. Social welfare policy as a whole has begun to reflect conservative values by emphasizing reciprocity, productivity, and familial responsibility. A myriad of important social welfare issues remain unresolved despite the new welfare reform bill of 1988.