Social welfare: a history of American response to need

United States is a country of settlers, anti-immigrant sentiment has permeated public discourse and is damaging the social fabric of the nation. Early anti-immigrant sentiment is symbolized most powerfully by the Nativist movement, which closely resembled white supremacy (Committee on US-Latin American Relations, 2014). What fueled anti-immigrant sentiment included fears of losing jobs and other conflict theory perspectives showing how immigrants are perceived of as threats to the existing social order (Social Work Speaks). The NASW Policy Statement supports the rights of immigrants and refugees to live without discrimination.

Committee on US-Latin American Nations (2014). Similar Anti-immigrant rhetoric used throughout US history. Retrieved online: https://cuslar.org/2014/10/23/similar-anti-immigrant-rhetoric-used-throughout-u-s-history/

NASW Policy Statement

Social Work Speaks

The pre-Civil War/antebellum era was tumultuous, with a series of failed political compromises leading to a breakdown of morals and ethics. At the same time, there were reform movements most notably the abolitionist movement, that took root as a response to the breakdown of civil society represented most notably by slavery (Buescher, n.d.). Children were valued as a source of work more then than in the 21st century (Buescher, n.d.).

References

Buescher, J. (n.d.). The era of reform. Teaching history. Retrieved online: http://teachinghistory.org/history-content/ask-a-historian/24100

3. The Charity Organization Societies and the Settlement Houses addressed poverty differently. Coyne (n.d.) points out that settlement houses were "intended to serve a community of individuals by offering a broad range of services, while charities raise funds for various causes and organizations," and each treated people differently (p. 1). During the Civil War Era, both would have been helpful but charities especially so (Stern & Axinn, 2011).

References

Coyne, K. (n.d.). Difference Between Settlement Houses & Charity Organization Societies. Retrieved online: http://peopleof.oureverydaylife.com/difference-houses-charity-organization-societies-9020.html

Stern, M.J. & Axinn, J. (2011). Social Welfare. Pearson.

4. The role of women during the Civil War was a precursor to the development of social work because women were channeled into gendered professions, which tended to be helping professions. Also, women were dealing with community management in the absence of men. If I were living in the era, I would align myself with any of the social work traditions described by Stern & Axinn (2011).

References

Stern, M.J. & Axinn, J. (2011). Social Welfare. Pearson.

5. The social work profession evolved in the 19th century. Both industrialization and urbanization led to the need for social services to address influxes of poor. Issues ranging from physical and mental illness to poverty needed to be addressed by volunteers within the social work framework, leading to the evolution of the Settlement House Movement and the Charity Organizations, the precursors to modern social work ("What is the History of the Social Work Profession?" n.d.).

References

Stern, M.J. & Axinn, J. (2011). Social Welfare. Pearson.

"What is the History of the Social Work Profession?" (n.d.). Retrieved online: http://www.socialworkdegreeguide.com/faq/what-is-the-history-of-the-social-work-profession/

6. Social welfare agencies ironically discriminated against African-Americans, exacerbating the problems of racism in America. African-Americans frequently lacked access to equitable social services, and were also systematically excluded from participating in social work itself (Peebles-Wilkins, 2017). Segregation may have been the biggest problem, as African-Americans remain systematically disadvantaged due to generations of segregation and inequality.

References

Peebles-Wilkins, W. (2017). Social welfare in the Black community 1886-1939. Retrieved online: http://socialwelfare.library.vcu.edu/eras/great-depression/historical-perspectives-on-social-welfare-in-the-black-community-1886-1939/

7. Historically, gender and race are intersected to create systematic disadvantages in a white supremist, patriarchal society. Although white women and African-American women have occasionally located their shared intersectionalities and disadvantaged status, racism and segregation prevented these two cohorts from combining their resources in an effective way (Social Work Speaks). The Civil Rights Movement helped create new partnerships for women of color and for women with white privilege.

References

Social Work Speaks

8. The multifaceted causes of the Great Depression included financial speculation and runaway capitalism without any government control on monopolization or trusts, but the proximate cause was of course the stock market crash of 1929. Bank failures and crop failures due to environmental conditions and land misuse were also problems ("5 Causes of the Great Depression," n.d).

References

"5 Causes of the Great Depression," (n.d.). Retrieved online: http://www.cland.k12.ky.us/userfiles/13/Classes/441/5%20causes%20of%20the%20great%20depression.pdf?id=8459

9. The Social Security Act of 1935 was part of FDR's New Deal and was the hallmark and cornerstone of social welfare in the United States. The significance was a shift in social values and norms in America, leading to an understanding that quality of life is linked to the need for welfare to offer aid to the disadvantaged, and led to the development of the two-class social welfare system (Hansan, n.d.).

References

Hansan, J.E. (n.d.). The New Deal Part II. The Social Welfare History Project. Retrieved online: http://socialwelfare.library.vcu.edu/eras/great-depression/the-new-deal-part-ii/

10. The NASW supported the separation of social services from the cash assistance programs in the 1970s because it was necessary to counteract or work within shifts in American political culture. After decades of federalism and liberal social welfare policies, a conservative culture led to the privatization of many care services, with a net detrimental and hindering effect on the social welfare profession in general and especially for the primary stakeholders -- the poor (Stuart, 2013).

References

Social Work Speaks

Stuart, P.H. (2013). Social work profession: history. Retrieved online: http://socialwork.oxfordre.com/view/10.1093/acrefore/9780199975839.001.0001/acrefore-9780199975839-e-623

11. President Kennedy was right in that poverty is something that is embarrassing in such a productive and wealthy nation, and that it is important to prevent the problem from occurring in the first place through an examination of root causes, which are addressed squarely by the social work profession (Social Work Speaks; Stuart, 2013). Unfortunately, a large number of Americans seem opposed to social welfare.

References

Social Work Speaks

Stuart, P.H. (2013). Social work profession: history. Retrieved online: http://socialwork.oxfordre.com/view/10.1093/acrefore/9780199975839.001.0001/acrefore-9780199975839-e-623

12. The Economic Opportunity Act and the "War on Poverty," which is a term coined by President Johnson, has shifted social work's views on welfare as a concept and the profession of social welfare work. The discourse using the word war demeans the poor, and yet poverty rates have fallen since the interventions (Social Work Speaks). However, the EOA and the War on Poverty do not address root causes.

References

Social Work Speaks

13. The reversion to values from the 1800s is preposterous and yet emblematic of the trends towards anti-intellectualism in the United States. A concept of worthiness is subjective and not based on evidence, and although he private sector does have a role to play, it is important to focus on the results and ramifications. The NASW Policy Statement reflects the need for government assistance or at least government organized assistance.

References

NASW Policy Statement on Poverty and Economic Justice

Social Work Speaks.

14. The Civil Rights movement was momentous and transformative, but the 1980s saw a backlash with Christian conservativism as the root of the problem. The current anti-intellectual and anti-science trend has led to increased conservativism, leading also to an erosion of civil rights. The only groups that stand to benefit from a conservative Supreme Court are bigots, and the NASW Policy Statement on Civil Liberties and Justice would also agree.

15. The United States lags behind other developed countries on a lot of measures, especially health care and education. The reasons for its lagging behind center on the privatized model of healthcare and a refusal to frame healthcare as a human right.

References

Social Work Speaks.

16. The Lichter & Jensen (2001) and the Moffitt (1999) articles both reflect on the positive and negative outcomes of the PRWORA legislation and illuminate the ramifications of the act.

References

Lichter, D.T. & Jensen, L. (2001). Poverty and Welfare among Rural Female-Headed Families before and after PRWORA. Rural America 16(3): 28-35.

Moffitt, R.A. (1999). The Effect of Pre-PRWORA Waivers on AFDC Caseloads and Female Earnings, Income, and Labor Force Behavior. Retrieved online: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Robert_Moffitt2/publication/23551285_The_effect_of_pre-PRWORA_Waivers_on_AFDC_caseloads_and_female_earnings_income_and_labor_force_behavior/links/54ba775f0cf253b50e2d01a4/The-effect-of-pre-PRWORA-Waivers-on-AFDC-caseloads-and-female-earnings-income-and-labor-force-behavior.pdf

17. The 1960s led to social workers becoming more entrenched in society, and Congress did eventually come out in favor of social workers because of the widespread problems with poverty. It would be interesting to see what today's Congress would say, but given the anti-intellectualism and conservativism, it is unlike that the current congress would support social welfare.

18. Social advocacy needs for the population I have selected can be addressed via an understanding of the position of the NASW on these issues. Furthermore, I plan to incorporate knowledge and skills form the course into my personal and professional life as I become an advocate for my chosen group.