
Closing the Door to Destitution
The Shaping of the Social Security Acts of the United States and New Zealand
Raymond Richards
Closing the Door to Destitution
The Shaping of the Social Security Acts of the United States and New Zealand
Raymond Richards
“We can all profit from reading this thoughtful and well-researched study of the origins of the United States Social Security Act of 1935 and the New Zealand Social Security Act of 1938.”
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Scholars of comparative public policy have tried to account for such differences among welfare states. Their explanations have commonly stressed economic, cultural, bureaucratic, or political differences among countries. The character of life in these two countries makes it possible to conclude simply that the United States and New Zealand passed contrasting acts because their histories were different. Richards argues that this conclusion is too vague. After all, the Social Security Acts did not materialize from national ambiance. He shows that the contrasts between the two systems stemmed from national differences that were inveterate, with the differences between their political systems being the most direct influence. By closely examining the two systems of government, Richards reveals that the U.S. Social Security Act reinforced the country's inequalities while New Zealand's act reflected that nation's legislative and electoral arrangements, which allowed bold policy-making by politicians who knew the pain of poverty.
“We can all profit from reading this thoughtful and well-researched study of the origins of the United States Social Security Act of 1935 and the New Zealand Social Security Act of 1938.”
“Raymond Richards adds a comparative dimension to a subject that is often discussed in vague generalities. His study is grounded in ‘thick description’ of both the New Zealand and American experiences. He has also composed what I believe to be a thoroughly original discussion of the role of insurance companies in the passage of the 1935 Social Security Act. This book should appeal to historians, political scientists, and historical sociologists.”
Raymond Richards is Lecturer in History at the University of Waikato, New Zealand.
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