O f all the major Western industrial nations, the United States
has always been the most conservative about social welfare
policy. America's welfare programs are the most recent in
origin and the most limited in design, coverage, and cost among the
major Western powers ( OECD, 1976; Smeeding, 1992a, 1992b; Wilensky
, 1975, 11). Despite their comparative modesty, American wel-
fare programs rest on tentative public support ( Feagin, 1975; Shapiro,
Patterson, Russell, and Young, 1987). The American public philosophy
stresses freedom over equality ( Bobo and Smith, 1994). Americans
believe that everyone should be given an opportunity to succeed, that
opportunity in America is bountiful if not always equal, and that fail-
ure generally reflects personal shortcomings. While public surveys
show that Americans are generally sympathetic toward the poor, they
are not comfortable with welfare programs. The public fears that wel-
fare programs are wasteful and that they reward, support, and en-
courage indolence and even immoral behavior ( Bobo and Smith,
1994). Thus, for the most part, the public supports giving assistance
only to those who cannot be expected to support themselves, along
with temporary assistance to help the able-bodied become established
in the workforce. This philosophy has shaped the establishment and
evolution of the American welfare system.

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