Social Security In The 1800s

Financial security is an aspiration for all families, wanting to secure their lives and not have to worry about the monetary aspects of the world. To have an economic safeguard, such as the Social Security Act, is crucial if someone is unable to work due to illness, age, sudden unemployment or when a provider passes away in order to provide some sort of income in times of need. This demand for insurance truly established itself sometime in the Industrial Revolution, as the United States began to become more forward thinking. However, it did not come to pass due to the short life expectancy in the 1800’s, around thirty-eight years old, and the lack of elderly individuals. As time went on, heading into the 1900’s, life expectancy began to rise and thus, the need for social security followed suit.

Roosevelt’s plan, called the Social Security Act, passed in 1935, in the midst of the Great Depression when people were desperate for some form of aid. There were several factors that contributed to the passing of the act, such as public opinion, party discipline, presidential leadership, and bureaucracies. The Social Security Act was a staple of Roosevelt's New Deal, something that continued to expand for years to come. The goal of such a lofty act was to bring better provisions for those who were at a disadvantage and, in turn, increasing the quality of life for American’s. When deciding on which policy area to choose, we ultimately chose social welfare. This is because social welfare has a large impact on society and how well a country is doing. As a result, we went with the Social Security Act because of its significance in America’s development, bringing the Free World out of such a depressing time full of hardships and easing the minds of