Social security in the United States.

  • United States Social Security Administration
Date:
1957
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Social security in the United States. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    FOREWORD This pamphlet is designed to explain briefly the social security programs and the principal related public programs that are in effect in the United States today. Chief emphasis has been placed on programs authorized by the Social Security Act but other public income-maintenance plans have been included to give a broader perspective of public economic security activities in this country than can be obtained from Social Security Act programs alone. In order to achieve brevity, it has not been possible to de- scribe or even indicate the activities of many private organizations that are contributing so much to the well-being of families in the United States. Public efforts to promote what is now called social security have deep roots in our national life and outdate by many years the passage of the Social Security Act. For many years after the colonization of America, relief of the poor was carried on by local communities. Later the States assumed part of the responsibility for public welfare programs. The local origin of such programs is reflected by the fact that all but one of the programs authorized by the Social Security Act are operated by the States and their political subdivisions. ‘The Federal role in these programs is to help finance them, to see to it that the States conform to the standards in the Federal law, and to assist the States in improving their programs. __ Other public programs that relate to social security are carried on under many other laws—Federal, State, and local. As in so many aspects of our national life, there are wide differences among programs of a given type, reflecting the particular objectives and traditions of the State or locality maintaining the program. Previous editions of this pamphlet have been used bs: fa, groups and have been particularly helpful to administrators and students from other countries. ‘This printing includes changes made by the Social Security Amendments of 1957 and of other legislation enacted since the last edition was published. Commissioner of Social Security August 1957 fronton mommies see + § 1LeECtIONS WNW