The Evolution Of The Family Welfare Policy

1970s is the watershed of the evolution of American family welfare policy, which is divided into two stages: the first one is from the government of Roosevelt, Truman to the government of Johnson. In this period, it was just relief welfare, and the government strengthened its control. The second one is from the government of Nixon to the government of Clinton. In this period, the policy began to transit from relief welfare to employment welfare, and the government began to weaken its social security. This change is influenced by many factors, which include the change of American social security ideal basis, the dissension between the two Parties, the financial conditions of American government, the influence of western anti-welfare thoughts and the negative factors of family welfare policy. The government, by reform, tried to care for the poor and not let them depend on welfare at the same time. The welfare changed from relief welfare to employment welfare, and from a negative one to a positive one.In order to learn the lessons and the experiences of the process of American family welfare reform, and to benefit our social security system comstruction, this thesis mainly discusses the evolution and the reasons of American family welfare policy. The thesis is devided into three parts:Firstly, the reasons of the evolution of American family welfare policy.1. The times background of American family welfare policy. The appearance of American family welfare policy is influenced by both external and internal factors.2.The evolutin of American family welfare policy is related to the basis of the thoughts of society welfare policy, because different thoughts have different influences on American family welfare policy. Under the guideline of non-governmental social security ideal, which is based on liberalism and social Darwinism, the nation seldom interferes with social security, and the social security is mainly carried out by civilian participation and charity donation. Under the guideline of social security policy, which is based on collectivism, the nation actively interferes with social security, and the social security is mainly carried out by the federal government with the help of the state and local governments, while the function of civilian participation and charity donation is weakened. And under the guideline of multiplex social security policy, which is based on the new liberalism ideal, the function of the government is weakened, while the function of the state and local governments is strengthened.3.The influence of the politics of the two Parties on the American family welfare policy. The politics of the two Parities has a strong influence on the evolution of American family welfare policy, because different party's coming into power means taking different family welfare policy. Democrat claims expanding welfare policy, while Republican claims contractive welfare policy.4.The situation of the government finance has a direct influence on the performanceof American family welfare policy. When the economy is good, the government carries out one family welfare policy, but when the economy is bad, the government carries out another family welfare policy. So different financial situation controls the developing direction of family welfare policy.5.Western anti-welfare thoughts has a profound effect on the family welfare policy. Inthe 1950s and 1960s, when the western economy blossomed, western countries made an effort to develop social welfare, and that was the so-called"welfare country". While in 1970s, the economy stagnated and inflated,"anti-welfare country"idea prevailed. The change between the two stages has different effect on American family welfare policy.6.The negative effect of American family welfare policy. The negative effect of American family welfare poicy also has a certain influence on its evolution and reform.The above six factors eventually cause the evolution of American family welfare policy. Secondly, the evolution of American family welfare policy. The evolution of American family welfare policy can be devided into two stages: the first is the establishing and developing stage, which is from 1935 to 1969; the second is the regulating and reform stage after 1970s. The two stages are closely linked to the above six fators. At the first stage, Roosevelt, on the basis of Keynes'theory, carried out the policy of national control and published Social Insurance Law of America, which established American modern social security system. Since then, Democratic Party stayed in power for a long time, and furthermore, the development of American economy went into a"golden period", which provided abundant material basis for it's expanded social welfare policy. In 1970s, American economy went into an inflation period and the expanded welfare policy brought about many disadvantages, which prompted the government to reform its social welfare policy. At first, President Nixon put forward"family aiding plan", the purpose of which is to change the people from depending on welfare relief to depending on working. And then, President Kart, Ford, Rigon and Bush all made efforts to this trend, but resulted in little. President Clinton, in the new national and international situation, enacted Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act,1996, which is the significant prelude of American welfare system.Thirdly, the comment on American family welfare policy.1. Function: it acts as a shutoff, an adjuster and a stabilizer.2. Nature: it's not a symbol of social system, but an aiding method to reassign wealth, an outcome of modernization production.3.Characteristic: first, the"intergration and multiplication"of the welfare security management; second, the multi-level of security items; third, the imperfection of security system; fourth, the multi-sources of welfare security finances; fifth, the unbalance of welfare security beneficiaries.4. Development trend: first, the basic frame of social security won't change fundamentally in a long run, which is the premise; second, the emphases of reform will change; third, the sources of finances will change toward privatization and decentralization; fourth, the concept of"employment welfare"will surpass"relief welfare", and the outlay spent on in service education and re-employment training will increase.5. Enlightment: first, emphasizing self-help spirit; second, stressing"effenciency first, relevant social equality"; third, attaching importance to the solid policy of social security and only allowing increase, not allowing decrease; fourth, appropriately handling the relation between relief welfare and employment wefare; fifth, insisting on the policy of"social security legislation first"; sixth, social security should be based on a low level under real circumstances; seventh, strengthening vocational skill training and increasing training outlay.