EXPECTATIONS AND WELFARE WORK: WIN IN NEW YORK CITY |
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| Authors: | Lawrence M. Mead |
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| Affiliation: | LAWRENCE M. MEAD is assistant professor of politics at New York University, where he teaches public policy and American government. His research and publications are in the areas of federal social policy, economic regulation, and policy analysis. Before coming to NYU he held several positions in public policy research and analysis in and around the federal government. He received his Ph.D. in political science from Harvard University in 1973. |
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| Abstract: | Work requirements for welfare recipients have done l i t t l e to reduce the welfare rolls. The usual explanation that limited skills and openings prevent recipients working is unpersuasive, since low-skilled work seems to be quite widely available. This study of the Work Incentive (WIN) program, the main welfare work program, in New York City found that whether recipients work depends mainly on whether WIN seriously expects them to. Thus, the welfare work problem is more political than economic.
It lies in our reluctance to obligate recipients to function socially as we would other people. |
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