Reference no: EM133315238

Case Study: Welfare programs in the U.S. extend back to the post-Civil War era in which veterans and families affected by war were awarded assistance. This type of welfare policy continued until the Great Depression during which the welfare system that we know today was developed as the need for assistance skyrocketed beyond what the nation had experienced before. As part of Franklin Delano Roosevelt's New Deal programs, welfare - known then as Aid for Families with Dependent Children - became part of the federal growing federal bureaucracy. Welfare assistance also extended to things like food purchasing assistance and later educational assistance through different government agencies as part of Lyndon Baines Johnson's Great Society programs. Welfare has also gone through significant reform, notably under Bill Clinton's Welfare Reform Act of 1996, which included the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act and returned some authority to the states.

Reform, as we have learned thus far in this class, comes about because of social change, catastrophic events, or a change in administrative ideology, but is usually a combination of these things. Welfare reform over the years in the U.S. has been no exception. While the idea for universal basic income has existed for some time, details and possibilities of such a program continue to be discussed, going as far as being part of recent presidential candidate's policy platforms. While many people feel strongly against a policy like universal basic income for reasons such as the extraordinary cost to taxpayers, many others feel strongly that such a policy would reduce the costly bureaucracy required to run welfare programs as they are, for example.

Question: Consider both sides of the argument. What evidence was effective for supporting universal basic income? What evidence was effective for against universal basic income?

1. Based on the information you studied, how would you respond to the following questions?
2. What are the arguments in support of universal basic income?
3. What are the arguments against universal income?
4. Do you support or oppose a policy like universal basic income? Why or why not? Be sure to address the arguments against your stance.