Alabama's mothers' pension statute: Identification and analysis of institutional determinants

The role of institutions in the passage of Alabama's mothers' pension statute of 1931 was examined. The institutions were identified on the basis of a review of the literature that examined and identified the determinants of mothers' pensions statutes in the United States, and on an examination of the literature concerning the factors associated with the passage of child welfare legislation in Alabama during the Progressive era. Institutional support for mothers' pensions was analyzed using theories that explain the development of the U.S. welfare state in general, and those that account for the passage of mothers' pension statutes specifically. The study found that the institutional support for mothers' pensions in Alabama is best explained by governmental capacity, policy feedback, and social control theories.