Welfare Policy and Precarious Lives: “Welfare Reform” Revisited

Abstract:

Although welfare reform has not been one of the most highly visible policy agendas for the Trump administration, restricting access to public assistance programs has been a part of proposals and actions in a number of areas. The Trump administration’s overall approach to welfare reform was articulated formally in 2018 in an Executive Order and a Council of Economic Advisers Report. To provide some context for a discussion of these two documents, the article begins with a discussion of the different meanings of “welfare reform” identified in institutionalist literature, and a brief overview of some important findings on the impacts of the 1996 welfare reform. It then highlights some key aspects of the Trump administration’s approach to welfare reform and responses from the poverty research and advocacy community.

Keywords:

• institutional economics
• welfare reform
• Temporary Assistance to Needy Families
• work requirements

JEL Classification Codes:

• B5
• I3
• J6

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Janice Peterson

Janice Peterson is Professor Emerita in the Department of Economics at California State University, Fresno.