Poverty and Dependency

America, 1950s to the Present

John Macnicol, Visiting Professor of Social Policy, London School of Economics and Political Science, UK

This incisive book addresses the history of poverty in the US, addressing how those in need have been understood and administered during the last 70 years. Launching a multi-faceted investigation into the history of US government attitudes to welfare, John Macnicol identifies the key features of historic and contemporary discussions on poverty in the US and the dynamic changes in American attitudes to its poorest constituents.

‘What was the underclass debate in the United States, and what impact did it have on social policy there? By exploring how the debate evolved in the second half of the twentieth-century, Macnicol presents a strong argument for the role of ideas about poverty and dependency in the rise of neoliberalism in the United States, and a valuable critique of the ideas of the leading figures of the movement. The book's greatest strength lies in the breadth of material covered, and the engagement with the key arguments of relevant authors, both conservatives and liberals.’
——米奇康涅狄格州、社会政策& Administration


‘Recommended. Students of political thought will find Macnicol's interpretations thought provoking.
– R.S. Rycroft, CHOICE