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Anti-Poverty Policy for Families in the Next Century: From Welfare to Work--and Worries

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  • David T. Ellwood

Abstract

This paper reveals that recent changes in social policy have included both sharp cutbacks in welfare for non-working families and dramatic increases in supports for low income working families. It explores the reasons for these changes, and documents how they have radically changed work incentives for some persons, notable single mothers. The result has been a large increase in work by low wage single parents. The paper concludes by examining several potential dangers of this new direction and explores the challenges that remain for the next century.

Suggested Citation

  • David T. Ellwood, 2000. "Anti-Poverty Policy for Families in the Next Century: From Welfare to Work--and Worries," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 14(1), pages 187-198, Winter.
    • Handle: RePEc:aea:jecper:v:14:y:2000:i:1:p:187-198
    Note: DOI: 10.1257/jep.14.1.187
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    File URL: http://www.aeaweb.org/articles.php?doi=10.1257/jep.14.1.187
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Rebecca M. Blank & David Card & Philip K. Robins, 1999. "Financial Incentives for Increasing Work and Income Among Low-Income Families," JCPR Working Papers 69, Northwestern University/University of Chicago Joint Center for Poverty Research.
    2. N. Eissa & H. W. Hoynes, "undated". "The Earned Income Tax Credit and the Labor Supply of Married Couples," Institute for Research on Poverty Discussion Papers 1194-99, University of Wisconsin Institute for Research on Poverty.
    3. David T. Ellwood, 1999. "The Impact of the Earned Income Tax Credit and Social Policy Reforms on Work, Marriage, and Living Arrangements," JCPR Working Papers 124, Northwestern University/University of Chicago Joint Center for Poverty Research.
    4. Rebecca M. Blank, 2001. "What Causes Public Assistance Caseloads to Grow?," Journal of Human Resources, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 36(1), pages 85-118.
    5. Judi Bartfeld, 1998. "Child Support and the Post-Divorce Economic Well-Being of Mothers, Fathers, and Children," JCPR Working Papers 50, Northwestern University/University of Chicago Joint Center for Poverty Research.
    6. Sandra K. Danziger & Mary Corcoran & Sheldon Danziger & Colleen M. Heflin & Ariel Kalil & Judith Levine & Daniel Rosen & Kristin S. Seefeldt & Kristine Siefert & Richard M. Tolman, 1999. "Barriers to the Employment of Welfare Recipients," JCPR Working Papers 90, Northwestern University/University of Chicago Joint Center for Poverty Research.
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    Cited by:

    1. Micklewright, John, 2002. "Social exclusion and children: a European view for a US debate," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 6430, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    2. Timothy Smeeding, 2005. "Poor People in Rich Nations: The United States in Comparative Perspective," LIS Working papers 419, LIS Cross-National Data Center in Luxembourg.
    3. Holzner, Christian & Meier, Volker & Werding, Martin, 2010. "Workfare, monitoring, and efficiency wages," Journal of Macroeconomics, Elsevier, vol. 32(1), pages 157-168, March.
    4. Chlond, Bettina & Goeschl, Timo & Kesternich, Martin, 2022. "More money or better procedures? Evidence from an energy efficiency assistance program," ZEW Discussion Papers 22-020, ZEW - Leibniz Centre for European Economic Research.
    5. Volker Meier, 2008. "Workfare in an efficiency wage model," Empirica, Springer;Austrian Institute for Economic Research;Austrian Economic Association, vol. 35(2), pages 165-178, April.
    6. Timothy Smeeding & Teresa Munzi, 2005. "Poverty and Inequality: Greece and Mediterranean Europe in Comparative Perspective," LIS Working papers 421, LIS Cross-National Data Center in Luxembourg.
    7. I. Ku & R. D. Plotnick, "undated". "Do Children from Welfare Families Obtain Less Education?," Institute for Research on Poverty Discussion Papers 1217-00, University of Wisconsin Institute for Research on Poverty.
    8. Karoly Fazekas & Zsombor Cseres-Gergely & Agota Scharle (ed.), 2008. "The Hungarian Labour Market 2008," The Hungarian Labour Market Yearbooks, Institute of Economics, Centre for Economic and Regional Studies, number 2008, December.
    9. Richard B. Freeman, 2000. "Is the U.S. Labor Market the Model for Advanced Countries?," Canadian Public Policy, University of Toronto Press, vol. 26(s1), pages 187-200, July.
    10. Timothy Smeeding, 2005. "Causes and Conditions of Social Vulnerability in Comparative Perspective: Asian Evidence from the LIS Dataset," LIS Working papers 417, LIS Cross-National Data Center in Luxembourg.
    11. Wolfgang Ochel, 2002. "Welfare to Work in the US: A Model for Germany?," FinanzArchiv: Public Finance Analysis, Mohr Siebeck, Tübingen, vol. 59(1), pages 91-119, February.
    12. Micklewright, John, 2002. "Social exclusion and children: a European view for a US debate," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 6430, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    13. Timothy Smeeding, 2002. "Real Standards of Living and Public Support for Children: A Cross-National Comparison," LIS Working papers 345, LIS Cross-National Data Center in Luxembourg.
    14. Kenworthy, Lane & Marx, Ive, 2017. "In-Work Poverty in the United States," IZA Discussion Papers 10638, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    15. David T. Ellwood, 1999. "The Impact of the Earned Income Tax Credit and Social Policy Reforms on Work, Marriage, and Living Arrangements," JCPR Working Papers 124, Northwestern University/University of Chicago Joint Center for Poverty Research.
    16. Timothy Smeeding, 2006. "Poor People in Rich Nations: The United States in Comparative Perspective," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 20(1), pages 69-90, Winter.
    17. Timothy Smeeding, 2002. "No Child Left Behind?," LIS Working papers 319, LIS Cross-National Data Center in Luxembourg.
    18. Timothy Smeeding & Gary Burtless & Lee Rainwater, 2000. "United States Poverty in a Cross-National Context," LIS Working papers 244, LIS Cross-National Data Center in Luxembourg.
    19. Brian C. Cadena, 2013. "Native Competition and Low-Skilled Immigrant Inflows," Journal of Human Resources, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 48(4), pages 910-944.
    20. Christian Holzner & Volker Meier & Martin Werding, 2004. "Time Limits on Welfare Use under Involuntary Unemployment," CESifo Working Paper Series 1220, CESifo.
    21. Timothy Smeeding, 2005. "Government Programs and Social Outcomes: The United States in Comparative Perspective," LIS Working papers 426, LIS Cross-National Data Center in Luxembourg.
    22. David T. Ellwood, 2001. "The Sputtering Labor Force of the 21st Century. Can Social Policy Help?," NBER Working Papers 8321, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    23. Parera-Nicolau, Antonia & Mumford, Karen A., 2005. "Labour Supply and Childcare for British Mothers in Two-Parent Families: A Structural Approach," IZA Discussion Papers 1908, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • I38 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - Government Programs; Provision and Effects of Welfare Programs

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