Social Welfare Programs in the United States

Social welfare is one of the accepted goals of the United States and of the entire free world. Great interest attaches, therefore, both in this country and elsewhere, to the status of social wegare programs in the United States today. The standard of living and general welfare of the American people derive from the multiform activities of a free people, working individually, through voluntary groups, and through their government. This article is concernedprimarily with the development and current status of public social welfare programs. For this purpose, the term social welfare is broadly defined to include education, health, social security, and veterans’ programs-the major programs that are directed specijically to promoting the wellbeing of individuals and families. The data are presented in such a way as to permit exclusion or reclassification of specific programs by those who would find a diflerent classi$cation more useful.