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Nickel-and-Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America. By Barbara Ehrenreich 1999. The USA’s Welfare System. 1880s–1890s : Poor people from work yards were moved to poor houses if they were in search of relief funds.
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Nickel-and-Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America By Barbara Ehrenreich 1999
The USA’s Welfare System • 1880s–1890s: Poor people from work yards were moved to poor houses if they were in search of relief funds. • 1893–1894: Attempts were made at the first unemployment payments, but were unsuccessful due to the 1893–1894 recession. • 1932: The Great Depression had gotten worse. The "Emergency Relief Act", which gave local governments $300 million, was passed into law. • 1933: In March 1933, President Franklin D. Roosevelt pushed Congress to establish the Civilian Conservation Corps. • 1935: The Social Security Act was passed on June 17, 1935. The bill included direct relief (cash, food stamps, etc.) and changes for unemployment insurance. • 1940: Aid to Families With Dependent Children (AFDC) was established. • 1964: Johnson’s War on Poverty is underway, and the Economic Opportunity Act was passed. Commonly known as "the Great Society" • 1996: Passed under Clinton, the "Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996" becomes law
The USA’s welfare system • Old Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance (OASDI) Programme. Retirement Insurance Benefits (RIB), Supplemental Security Income (SSI)- a form of payments made by the US Social Security Administration paid based upon the attainment old age (62 or older). • Social Security Disability Insurance (SSD)- Income supplements for people unable to work due to a disability. • Unemployment insurance – money provided by the state when the worker has become unemployed when it wasn’t his fault. • Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)- provides cash to needy American families with dependent children. • Food Stamp Programme- Financial assistance to buy food for people with low and no income.
How the USA’s welfare system compares the UK’s • The UK has: The National Health Service, which provides free health care to all citizens. • The Universal Child Benefit- Gives benefits to parents to help feed and support their children. • Free School Meals – Provided to children at lunch time and was paid by the government. • Laws weren’t passed to do with welfare in the US until the 1930’s, whereas they began in the UK in the 1900’s.
Style of Writing • First person • In the style of a diary – “When I wake up at 4am.” • Mixed lexis – “Kiddie”, “Oxytocin • References to racism – “I possess certain traits that might be advantageous – I’m white”. • References to sexism – “I am ‘baby,’ ‘honey,’ ‘Blondie,’ and most commonly, ‘girl.”
Re-casting Task • Imagine you are an American woman writing to the local newspaper about your struggles with money, jobs and children. Use from the beginning of the text up to “ More or less off the land.” • You should adapt the source material, using your own words as far as possible without using direct quotations from Ehrenreich’s original material. Your letter should be approximately 300 – 400 words in length. • In your adaptation you should: • Use language appropriately to address purpose and audience • Write accurately and coherently, applying relevant ideas and concepts.
