A Poverty of Imagination: Bootstrap Capitalism, Sequel to Welfare Reform
by David Stoesz
University of Wisconsin Press, 2000 Cloth: 978-0-299-16950-3 | Paper: 978-0-299-16954-1 | eISBN: 978-0-299-16953-4 Library of Congress Classification HV95.S824 2000 Dewey Decimal Classification 362.50973
ABOUT THIS BOOK | AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY | REVIEWS | TOC | REQUEST ACCESSIBLE FILE
ABOUT THIS BOOK
Welfare reform was supposed to end welfare as we know it. And it has. The welfare poor have been largely transformed into the working poor, but their poverty persists. This hard-hitting book takes a close look at where we’ve gone wrong—and where we might go next if we truly want to improve the lot of America’s underclass.
Tracing the roots of recent reforms to the early days of the war on poverty, A Poverty of Imagination describes a social welfare system grown increasingly inept, corrupt, and susceptible to conservative redesign. Investigating the causes of the ongoing failure of welfare assistance, Stoesz focuses on the economic barriers that impede movement out of poverty into the American mainstream. He explores such issues as the heterogeneity of welfare families, generational welfare, inadequate benefits, the negative effects of time limits on welfare recipients, a fringe banking industry that exploits low-income families, the limited capacity of low-wage markets, and the unavailability of credit.
Stoesz suggests that a form of "bootstrap capitalism" would allow individuals and families to participate more fully in American society and achieve upward economic mobility and stability. This proposal, emphasizing wage supplements, asset building, and community capitalism, sets the stage for the next act in poverty policy in the United States. With its valuable insights on the American welfare system and its positive agenda for change, this book makes a significant intervention in our ongoing struggle to come to terms with widespread poverty in the wealthiest nation on earth.
AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY
David Stoesz is the Samuel Wurtzel Professor of Social Work at Virginia Commonwealth University. Formerly a welfare caseworker in Connecticut and a welfare department director in Maryland, he is the author of Small Change: Domestic Policy under the Clinton Presidency and coauthor of many books, including American Social Welfare Policy.
REVIEWS
"A provocative, timely, and thoughtful book that attempts a reconciliation between collectivist responsibility and the reality of America’s preference for free-market solutions."—William M. Epstein, University of Las Vegas, author of Children Who Could Have Been and Welfare in America
"During this time of transition in welfare policy, a perceptive book such as this is an important contribution to academic and policy discussions. A Poverty of Imagination describes policy directions that are growing and are likely to continue to expand. This book is on the forefront of important trends."—Michael Sherraden, Washington University, author of Assets and the Poor
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Contents
Illustrations
Preface
1. The End of Welfare
Welfare As We Knew It
The Underclass
Merton’s Constant
The End of Welfare
2. The Old Maternalism
Mothers’ Pensions
Working-Poor African Americans
Professional Involution
Cultural Politics
The Nanny State
Left Field
Denouement
3. The New Paternalism
Controlling the Means of Analysis
Behavioral Poverty
The New Paternalism
The Family Support Act
“The End of Welfare As We Know It”
Radically Conservative Welfare Reform
4. Welfare Behaviorism
The Conservative Triumph in Welfare Reform
The New Consensus on Behavioral Poverty
Welfare-to-Work
Jobs Versus Education
Learnfare
Teen Parenthood
Family Cap
Paternity
Time Limits
Wisconsin
Diversion
Excursus
5. The Dynamics of Welfare and Work
Welfare Dependency
Barriers to Employment
After AFDC
Upward Mobility
Welfare Mothers and Work
Perfecting Welfare-to-Work
6. Bootstrap Capitalism
Strategies of Welfare Reform
Capitalism for the Poor
The Renaissance of Bootstrap Capitalism
Wage Supplements
Asset Development
Community Capitalism
Networking Capital
A New Paradigm for Poverty Policy?
Notes
Index
REQUEST ACCESSIBLE FILE
If you are a student who cannot use this book in printed form, BiblioVault may be able to supply you
with an electronic file for alternative access.
Please have the accessibility coordinator at your school fill out this form.
A Poverty of Imagination: Bootstrap Capitalism, Sequel to Welfare Reform
by David Stoesz
University of Wisconsin Press, 2000 Cloth: 978-0-299-16950-3 Paper: 978-0-299-16954-1 eISBN: 978-0-299-16953-4
Welfare reform was supposed to end welfare as we know it. And it has. The welfare poor have been largely transformed into the working poor, but their poverty persists. This hard-hitting book takes a close look at where we’ve gone wrong—and where we might go next if we truly want to improve the lot of America’s underclass.
Tracing the roots of recent reforms to the early days of the war on poverty, A Poverty of Imagination describes a social welfare system grown increasingly inept, corrupt, and susceptible to conservative redesign. Investigating the causes of the ongoing failure of welfare assistance, Stoesz focuses on the economic barriers that impede movement out of poverty into the American mainstream. He explores such issues as the heterogeneity of welfare families, generational welfare, inadequate benefits, the negative effects of time limits on welfare recipients, a fringe banking industry that exploits low-income families, the limited capacity of low-wage markets, and the unavailability of credit.
Stoesz suggests that a form of "bootstrap capitalism" would allow individuals and families to participate more fully in American society and achieve upward economic mobility and stability. This proposal, emphasizing wage supplements, asset building, and community capitalism, sets the stage for the next act in poverty policy in the United States. With its valuable insights on the American welfare system and its positive agenda for change, this book makes a significant intervention in our ongoing struggle to come to terms with widespread poverty in the wealthiest nation on earth.
AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY
David Stoesz is the Samuel Wurtzel Professor of Social Work at Virginia Commonwealth University. Formerly a welfare caseworker in Connecticut and a welfare department director in Maryland, he is the author of Small Change: Domestic Policy under the Clinton Presidency and coauthor of many books, including American Social Welfare Policy.
REVIEWS
"A provocative, timely, and thoughtful book that attempts a reconciliation between collectivist responsibility and the reality of America’s preference for free-market solutions."—William M. Epstein, University of Las Vegas, author of Children Who Could Have Been and Welfare in America
"During this time of transition in welfare policy, a perceptive book such as this is an important contribution to academic and policy discussions. A Poverty of Imagination describes policy directions that are growing and are likely to continue to expand. This book is on the forefront of important trends."—Michael Sherraden, Washington University, author of Assets and the Poor
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Contents
Illustrations
Preface
1. The End of Welfare
Welfare As We Knew It
The Underclass
Merton’s Constant
The End of Welfare
2. The Old Maternalism
Mothers’ Pensions
Working-Poor African Americans
Professional Involution
Cultural Politics
The Nanny State
Left Field
Denouement
3. The New Paternalism
Controlling the Means of Analysis
Behavioral Poverty
The New Paternalism
The Family Support Act
“The End of Welfare As We Know It”
Radically Conservative Welfare Reform
4. Welfare Behaviorism
The Conservative Triumph in Welfare Reform
The New Consensus on Behavioral Poverty
Welfare-to-Work
Jobs Versus Education
Learnfare
Teen Parenthood
Family Cap
Paternity
Time Limits
Wisconsin
Diversion
Excursus
5. The Dynamics of Welfare and Work
Welfare Dependency
Barriers to Employment
After AFDC
Upward Mobility
Welfare Mothers and Work
Perfecting Welfare-to-Work
6. Bootstrap Capitalism
Strategies of Welfare Reform
Capitalism for the Poor
The Renaissance of Bootstrap Capitalism
Wage Supplements
Asset Development
Community Capitalism
Networking Capital
A New Paradigm for Poverty Policy?
Notes
Index
REQUEST ACCESSIBLE FILE
If you are a student who cannot use this book in printed form, BiblioVault may be able to supply you
with an electronic file for alternative access.
Please have the accessibility coordinator at your school fill out this form.
It can take 2-3 weeks for requests to be filled.
ABOUT THIS BOOK | AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY | REVIEWS | TOC | REQUEST ACCESSIBLE FILE