How well does welfare work as a solution to poverty?

Question

I'm doing a group project for my sociology class and don't really know how to research this. I have statistics on how many people receive welfare, but I can't find any research showing if it works or not... Thanks

I promise not to accidentally delete the question while people are answering this time...

Answer 1

it doesn't work to help people OUT of poverty nearly as well as it works to provide a means of living for impoverished persons

Answer 2

Get the book entitled, "Flat Broke with Children: Women in the Age of Welfare Reform." by Sharon Hays. This is a good read about whether or not welfare works or not and discusses a lot of welfare policy.  This should be a good starting point. When you get the book, open up her resources listing to gather more resources.

Answer 3

It doesn't hurt to give to those in need. There will always be abusers. But there will always be poor people. And if we are in a position to help, why not?

Answer 4

welfare have two sides to it, because it helps poor people to survive bu at the same time it can create a bad habit of *give me , i cant do it * kind of dependence sometimes for people that can work and dont really have a problem. In my personal view we as a society should teach a person to be of help in society instead of relyinng on it.

give  a men fish and he will have food for a day. teach him how to fish and he will have food forever.

Answer 5

Well as a person whos mother supports me thru welfare I would say it is ok.I mean it helps you as far as food and cash but when you want to move up and get a better job they cut you off and it makes it harder.In other words my mom is a mother of 6 and we collect welfare.My aunt is a mother of 4 and has a fair paying job but welfare says she makes too much and now she dont have help with food so she has to buy it which she now barly gets by paying all the bills she has to pay so i could say it helps in  some cases but then again it dosent and you have to go to every meeting and stuff or they will take them away.Well no they really dont help cause they stop you from getting to the top but then again they stop you from hitting rock bottem

Answer 6

it is obviously working well, i mean these people (some) dont work, but are still able to have nice cars and homes. i think that once they get a steady job, the welfare should be cut. i personally dont think it is fair to "give" these people "free" money when they dont nececarilly work for it. i understand helping those in need, but ones who can fend for themselves need to do just that. (sorry but that is what i think)

Answer 7

As for my experience: My husband left me when I was 7 months pregnant, and I moved in with my parents.  I got on Medicaid to pay for the birth of my baby and meet his and my medical expenses.  They paid for child care when I went to college and I received grants and scholarships - I had a 4.0 average.  As soon as I got out of college, I got a job, and started paying for my own childcare.  By then, I was making so much that they could not help me any further, and that's a good thing.  The whole thing lasted a couple of years, and I am thankful, but don't ever want to have to ask for assistance again!

Answer 8

Well I don't know much about statistic's..I do know that welfare money is taken through taxes...middle class is mostly effected by this. Alot of blue collar people are general contractors, factory workers, desk jobs etc. In turn it causes people to continue to struggle. The government is very generous when it comes to handing out welfare money. Taxes are raised constantly along with inflation...it's really a vicious cycle..it is very hard to really just make ends meet. So really it does not work, it appeases people who are lazy and do not want to work for a living..and believe me, theirs a ton of them out their.

Answer 9

yes dear friend it really helps needy people.

but as the number of poor and needy people is growing fast,the effects may not be seen.

wellfare in no way is solution for poverty.

but it keeps the faith of the poor alive in humanity and god.

it also hepls the person doing wellfare by giving him pease of mind.

i think we should keep doing welfare work and work on population control and the effects will be seen in coming years.

Answer 10

Well, there's all the people who would die at, say 2, who continue to live; some of them to get out of poverty, and contribute to society.

Works? That depends on what you consider the purpose to be.

Survival, rather than letting 2-year-olds starve is one purpose.

Not letting die people who later grow up to contribute is another.

Keeping people from dieing is less effective than, say, quality education for all.

On the other hand, most people who get welfare do so for a small time. Instead of spiriling all the way down, they get a break, until they pull their lives together again.

sorry, I don't have any links for you

Answer 11

Welfare is not a solution to poverty.  If anything,  it perpetuates poverty by creating a permanent underclass.  Welfare originally was designed as a safety net for people who temporarily have lost their means of livelihood. However, because welfare payments are reduced if the recipient attempts to supplement his income with part time work, this discourages them from even making the attempt.  Many feel it's not worth the struggle.  Furthermore, the fact that welfare payments go up with each additional child, makes baby production a  way of life.  Unfortunately, kids growing up in such an environment have limited opportunities and end up perpetuating the cycle of poverty.  It is not uncommon to see a households where girls start having babies at 14 and 15 because they want their own 'spending money'.