The Deserving Poor, the Family, and the U.S. Welfare System

Area of Science:

• Social Sciences
• Economics
• Public Policy

Background:

• The prevailing view suggests a contraction in the US welfare system post-1960s expansion.
• However, recent trends indicate a complex evolution rather than a simple contraction.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze trends in US welfare spending and its distribution.
• To investigate shifts in welfare allocation across different demographic and income groups.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of aggregate welfare spending data.
• Examination of redistributive patterns within the welfare system.

Main Results:

• Welfare spending in the US has shown consistent growth since the 1970s, contrary to popular belief.
• Significant redistributions have occurred, favoring the elderly, disabled, married-parent families, and higher-income groups.
• Poorer families and non-elderly, non-disabled single-parent families have experienced a relative decrease in welfare support.

Conclusions:

• The US welfare system is not in a contractionary phase but has undergone significant internal redistribution.
• These shifts may reflect evolving societal perceptions of 'deservingness' among different population groups.