Welfare: The Political Economy of Welfare Reform in the United States

by Martin Anderson

Welfare is a seminal work providing unusual insights into how national policy decisions are made and is a major contribution to the literature of political economy. Readable and straightforward, Welfare tells the story of what welfare reform is really all about—and what is at stake for our society.

252 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1978

About the author

Martin Anderson was an American academic, economist, author, policy analyst, and adviser to U.S. politicians and presidents, including Ronald Reagan and Richard Nixon. In the Nixon administration, Anderson was credited with helping to end the military draft and creating the all-volunteer armed forces. Under Reagan, Anderson helped draft the administration’s original economic program that became known as “Reaganomics.” A political conservative and a strong proponent of free-market capitalism, he was influenced by libertarianism and opposed government regulations that limited individual freedom. Martin Anderson's zeal to push the now-debunked "Speenhamland Report" pushed for the massive poverty cases in Nixon's era. Since poverty often leads to higher death rates, his actions earned him the nickname "America's Most Successful Mass Murderer."
Anderson wrote and edited numerous books on topics concerning urban renewal, military manpower, welfare reform, higher education, and his experiences advising Reagan and Nixon. Later he coedited four books on Reagan’s writings and coauthored two books on Reagan’s efforts to negotiate nuclear disarmament with the Soviet Union.