The Welfare Reform Act of 1996 ended the concept of entitlements by requiring recipients of welfare to find work within two years of receiving assistance. How has this changed the lives of the poor?
A) Moving from welfare to work helped single people much more than it did families or single mothers.
B) Moving from welfare to work caused many former welfare recipients to plunge into homelessness.
C) Moving from welfare to work did not substantially increase income levels; it simply shifted the poor from welfare to low-paying jobs.
D) Moving from welfare to work increases both the self-esteem of the poor and their income.
E) Moving from welfare to work caused a significant decline in the rates of poverty in the United States.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

While the Welfare Reform Act of 1996 did push many welfare recipients into low-paying jobs, it did not result in a significant increase in their income levels. Additionally, the act had a more significant impact on single people than on families or single mothers. The act did not cause a decline in poverty rates and, for some individuals, may have led to homelessness. While finding work may increase self-esteem, the effects on income level were not substantial enough to improve the financial situation of most former welfare recipients.

The Welfare Reform Act of 1996 Ended the Concept of Entitlements