During the 1980s, a growing number of critics alleged that welfare programs
A) had nearly eliminated poverty.
B) were helping to create a dysfunctional underclass of people who depended upon them for survival.
C) were being abused, mostly by the wealthy.
D) benefited only the middle class at the expense of the poorer class.
E) should be turned back over to private charities and religious institutions because government resources had been exhausted.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

During the 1980s, a growing number of critics alleged that welfare programs were helping to create a dysfunctional underclass of people who depended upon them for survival. This argument is often referred to as the "cycle of poverty" or the "culture of poverty" theory, which suggests that welfare programs actually perpetuate poverty and dependency rather than alleviating them. This argument was popular among conservatives and was a major catalyst for welfare reform in the 1990s.

During the 1980s, a Growing Number of Critics Alleged That