Borba protiv siromaštva u SAD

U radu se iznosi povijesni razvoj i obrazlažu najvažniji suvremeni oblici očuvanja dohotka i osiguranja protiv siromaštva u SAD-u, odnosno onoga što se naziva socijalnom zaštitom. Prvi dio rada posvećen je povijesti borbe protiv siromaštva. Drugi dio rada bavi se problemima vezanim uz mjerenje siromaštva i odlučivanje kome dati pomoć, te se navode pravila i ograničenja pri izradi podataka. Pregled programa za socijalnu skrb u SAD-u sadržan je u trećem dijelu, a tu se podrobnije objašnjava Pomoć obiteljima s malodobnom djecom i reforma američkog sustava socijalne skrbi. U posljednjoj, kraćoj četvrtoj dionici, Umjesto zaključka – Jesu li programi socijalne skrbi u SAD-u od pomoći? navode se neki problemi i kritike, pogotovo usmjerene na učinkovitost sustava socijalne skrbi u SAD-u. U radu se tek rubno razmatraju složena pitanja mirovinskog i zdravstvenog osiguranja, jer ona zahtijevaju posebne sveobuhvatne analize.This paper discusses the historical development and the main contemporary forms of income maintenance and insurance against poverty in the USA, in other words, what is called social protection or welfare. The first part of the paper is devoted to a historical view of the forms of help to the poor and the establishment of the modern system of welfare. The second part of the paper deals with the issues connected with the data about poverty, the decision on whom to help, the conventions used to construct these figures and their limitation. Part three is a review of the US welfare system, where Aid to Families with Dependent Children and welfare reform are explained. In the shorter part four of the work, “Instead of Conclusion – Have Welfare Programs Helped?” stress is placed on the problems and critiques specially oriented to the efficiency of the American welfare system. The complex problems of the retirement and health insurance systems are not addressed, for they require separate and comprehensive analysis