In this important work, Brian Steensland authoritatively reconstructs the history of guaranteed income proposals and highlights Richard Nixon's ironic role in the evolution of American social policy. This story, of possibilities foreclosed and opportunities missed, adds significantly to our knowledge of the American welfare state. An impressive achievement. -- Robert C. Lieberman, Columbia University Brian Steensland's impressive book, The Failed Welfare Revolution--Nixon's proposed Family Assistance Plan--brings sophisticated cultural analysis and in-depth historical research to bear on an unjustly neglected episode in the development of U.S. social policy, helping us to better understand our current policy options while enriching our theoretical armory. -- Ann Orloff, Northwestern University This is one of the most important books yet on the American welfare state. Thoroughly researched, clearly argued, and tightly focused, it is by far the most definitive account of a largely forgotten episode that, had it turned out differently, could have changed the subsequent history of U.S. domestic policy. -- Michael B. Katz, University of Pennsylvania Painstakingly researched and well written, fast-paced and with a strong narrative style, The Failed Welfare Revolution takes a refreshingly cultural view of the rise and fall of guaranteed family income. It takes, at the same time, a refreshingly undeterministic view of history. With passage of a guaranteed family income law, working families might have had a much more reliable safety net. -- Frank Dobbin, Harvard University
Preface ix Abbreviations xiii INTRODUCTION: Understanding the Failed Welfare Revolution 1 CHAPTER ONE: The Rise of Guaranteed Annual Income 28 CHAPTER TWO: Guaranteed Annual Income Goes Public 52 CHAPTER THREE: The Origins and Transformation of the Nixon Plan 79 CHAPTER FOUR: Nixon's Family Assistance Plan Stalls 120 CHAPTER FIVE: Defeat and Its Policy Legacy 157 CHAPTER SIX: Carter and the Program for Better Jobs and Income 182 CHAPTER SEVEN: Lost Opportunities, Consequences, and Lessons 219 CHAPTER EIGHT: Culture and Welfare Policy Development 232 Notes 247 References 283 Index 297
Brian Steensland is assistant professor of sociology at Indiana University.
Winner of the 2009 Best Book Award in Political Sociology, American Sociological Association Co-Winner of the 2009 Mary Douglas Prize for Best Book, Section on Sociology of Culture, American Sociological Association "[T]his monograph ... represents a substantial achievement and a major addition to the literature on America's welfare state."--Edward D. Berkowitz, Journal of American History "The Failed Welfare Revolution is a well-researched book that fills a significant gap in the literature on U.S. social policy. The theoretical perspective is innovative, and Steensland makes a strong case for the study of the role of ideas and culture in policymaking."--Daniel Beland, Political Science Quarterly "Brian Steensland's highly detailed account and analysis of guaranteed annual income (GAl) proposals during the Nixon and Carter administrations provides an important contribution to the research on social welfare policy in the United States, addressing a significant lacuna in this literature."--Kenneth Hudson, American Journal of Sociology "This scholarly book will be a valuable resource for anyone interested in current debates about the merits of a guaranteed income policy. It is richly documented, draws effectively on theoretical ideas and transcends the limitations of many historical accounts by linking developments in the 1970s to current social welfare debates. An added bonus is the discussion of proposals by the Carter administration later in the decade to reformulate these ideas. The author's reflection on the role of cultural factors in social welfare thinking also makes a significant contribution and will hopefully facilitate future analyses that will explore the importance of culture in social policy."--James Midgley, Journal of Sociology and Social Welfare "The Failed Welfare Revolution is an interesting retelling and synthesis of what happened some 40 years ago, and anybody interested in the subject will find this work to be of value."--Ralf Hertwig, Monthly Labor Review "Steensland's precision in analyzing the guaranteed income debates throughout the book is impressive, as is his use of extensive original research from presidential archives. He has done a great service in so thoroughly deconstructing for the first time a neglected episode in the history of us (and Canadian) social policy."--Richard Pereira, Labour-Le Travail "[A] theoretically rich and historically detailed account of domestic policy centered on the 1970s."--Richard K. Caputo, Eastern Economic Journal
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