Listen To The Americans On Welfare In 1970. It's Only Gotten Worse.

In 1970, the main welfare program in the United States was Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC). Around 7.9 million people received AFDC benefits that year, representing about 2 million families. Public social welfare spending, including programs like food stamps and unemployment insurance, totaled roughly 143 billion dollars, about 15 percent of the nation’s output at the time. The system was smaller and simpler, with stricter eligibility rules and fewer overlapping programs. By contrast, in recent years the social safety net has expanded dramatically. In 2019, about 99 million Americans—around 30 percent of the population—received assistance from at least one major welfare or social support program. In 2023, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which replaced the old food stamp program, served about 42 million people a month, roughly 12 percent of the country. Today, many more people qualify for or use overlapping benefits such as Medicaid, unemployment insurance, and housing assistance. About 8 million people relied on direct welfare in 1970, while today roughly 100 million Americans receive some form of public assistance. Welfare itself has become a smaller part of a much broader safety net.