Paving the Way for Social Security
The Industrial Revolution helped to create a much more urban America in the thirties. People moved steadily from the farms of the rural areas of the country to the rapidly growing and vastly sprawling cities. In 1890, 28% of the total population lived in cities. In 1930, this number grew to 56%. Family and culture in the American home was changing quickly, right before our eyes. Our lifestyle was already incredibly different from that of it in the 1800s.
This sort of shift in living standard caused slight shifts in the average home demographics. Rural families had been much larger, several generations often living together on a single plot of land. People banded together to care for one another, rather than depending on a health care system or outside party for their well-being. However, in the cities, the nuclear family was much more common.
This sort of shift in living standard caused slight shifts in the average home demographics. Rural families had been much larger, several generations often living together on a single plot of land. People banded together to care for one another, rather than depending on a health care system or outside party for their well-being. However, in the cities, the nuclear family was much more common.
Thanks to improving technology in the health care industry and development of public health programs, the common American was able to live much longer than we had recorded previous to the growth in the 20s-30s. From 1900-1930, the average lifespan of an American living in urban areas (or areas with access to health services) was increased by 10 years. "This was the most rapid increase in longevity in recorded human history. The result was a rapid growth in the number of senior citizens to 7.8 million by 1935."
The result of all of this growth and change was a newer and more complex population than we had seen before. American was much older, and therefore more urban and industrial. Less people lived of the land and many many more relied on the federal government to protect and care for its people.
However it was said that "the traditional strategies for the provision of economic security were becoming increasingly fragile."
There were a few early attempts at setting up a system similar to the Social Security that we now have in place. One was created by Huey Long, governor of Louisiana (1928-1832), who was a radical populist and wanted the nation’s rich and privileged to have their wealth confiscated. He created a program called Share Our Wealth and his slogan was “Every Man A King.” His program made it so that the federal government guaranteed $5,000 of annual income to every family, so that they were able to have the necessities of life. The program became a movement and by 1935 it had 7.7 million members. There was also an earlier version of retirement that Francis E. Townsend, a doctor from Long Beach, created. He was unemployed and 66 years old with no savings or prospects in 1933. He came up with a plan called the Townsend Plan with the idea that every citizen above the age of 60 would receive a pension of $200 from the government every month. The eligibility requirements: the person has to be retired, money had to be spent within the U.S. within 30 days of the receipt, and their past had to be free from crime.
Neither of these attempts really worked out in the end so real action had to be taken within the government. The Committee on Economic Security was created when the president announced that he was going to provide a Social Security program. The committee was made up of the five top cabinet-level officials with the job to study the problem of economic insecurity. The first national town-hall forum on Social Security was sponsored by the committee in November 1934.
In August of 1935, the Social Security Act was passed after several months of being sent (with an overwhelmingly positive response from the representatives) through the houses of the government and finally being handed off to President Roosevelt. The Act sought to accomplish many things but the most important of them were the provisions for general welfare and a new social insurance program designed to pay a continuous income to workers over 65 who had retired.
"Certain features of that package, notably disability coverage and medical benefits, would have to await future developments. But it did provide a wide range of programs to meet the nation's needs." (Social Security Administration).
The result of all of this growth and change was a newer and more complex population than we had seen before. American was much older, and therefore more urban and industrial. Less people lived of the land and many many more relied on the federal government to protect and care for its people.
However it was said that "the traditional strategies for the provision of economic security were becoming increasingly fragile."
There were a few early attempts at setting up a system similar to the Social Security that we now have in place. One was created by Huey Long, governor of Louisiana (1928-1832), who was a radical populist and wanted the nation’s rich and privileged to have their wealth confiscated. He created a program called Share Our Wealth and his slogan was “Every Man A King.” His program made it so that the federal government guaranteed $5,000 of annual income to every family, so that they were able to have the necessities of life. The program became a movement and by 1935 it had 7.7 million members. There was also an earlier version of retirement that Francis E. Townsend, a doctor from Long Beach, created. He was unemployed and 66 years old with no savings or prospects in 1933. He came up with a plan called the Townsend Plan with the idea that every citizen above the age of 60 would receive a pension of $200 from the government every month. The eligibility requirements: the person has to be retired, money had to be spent within the U.S. within 30 days of the receipt, and their past had to be free from crime.
Neither of these attempts really worked out in the end so real action had to be taken within the government. The Committee on Economic Security was created when the president announced that he was going to provide a Social Security program. The committee was made up of the five top cabinet-level officials with the job to study the problem of economic insecurity. The first national town-hall forum on Social Security was sponsored by the committee in November 1934.
In August of 1935, the Social Security Act was passed after several months of being sent (with an overwhelmingly positive response from the representatives) through the houses of the government and finally being handed off to President Roosevelt. The Act sought to accomplish many things but the most important of them were the provisions for general welfare and a new social insurance program designed to pay a continuous income to workers over 65 who had retired.
"Certain features of that package, notably disability coverage and medical benefits, would have to await future developments. But it did provide a wide range of programs to meet the nation's needs." (Social Security Administration).