-
Pre-Great Depression
- first charity organization formed -settled house movements provided homes for the poor -volunteers sought to reduce the gap between rich and poor.
-
Period: to
Great Depression
- Progressives first group of social reformers to collect quantitative data on the poor
- Reason for data collection - to educate society about the poor to promote reform
- Corruption in social welfare reforms
- Business people agreed that too much social legislation in one state would be a competitive disadvantage -If Social workers aspired to achieve a professional status, they had to minimize their commitment to social reform
- Stock market crash
- thousands were laid off
-
Period: to
New Deal
- FDR implemented the new deal
- Social welfare legislation of the New Deal especially: Social Security Act the Wagner Act, Housing Act
- Social welfare legislation furthered the division between states and federal governments
- Aid to Families with Dependent Children: a welfare division of the Social Security Act allowing states to determine their own needs and grants
-
Period: to
Great Society
- Social policies went in a more liberal direction
- Union contracts provided pensions to 10% of production workers
- Thousands of teachers, screenwriters and social workers lost their jobs
- Right anti-communism limited the politics of social reform
- President Johnson signed the civil rights act which barred discrimination established equal opportunity for food stamps
- President Johnson declared war on poverty, social work profession changed to focus on community organizing
-
Period: to
Conservative Response
- Restraints were placed on Social Welfare
- Reagan condemned most social welfare programs using the social Darwinist philosophy
- Cut social welfare; slashed public housing; tightened AFDC and reduced spending on food stamps
- Temporary assistance for Needy Families was implemented
-
Period: to
Present
- Unemployment increased