The Great Depression provided the impetus for the Social Security system. Absent the Great Depression, can you

Question

envision other social events that could have given occasion to the creation of a system modeled like the current Social Security system? Discuss.

Answer 1

Social security was introduced in Germany in 1883 and in England in 1945. I am not sure why, but you could check out the impetus in these and other industrialized countries. I think the underlying cause is that falling birth rates and smaller families meant that the traditional way of providing for old age no longer worked .

Answer 2

Let's face it !
I give credit reluctantly to the Great Monster ---
Television .
Although it has not lived up to our first expectations that
it would be an educational boon for our children---instead
we got The Simpsons and the Simpletons in Public Office
plus Porn when the kids got their own rooms---something
their parents never had !

One benefit has resulted ---we had attention focused on
bright occasions on the rest of the world ---in living
color---we had transparency and could look out this
new window and see what the neighbors had that we
didn't !

We could see that less wealthy countries could afford
to provide welfare programs for the less fortunate
and places like Switzerland had Social Security
programs that were far superior to our own ( could
it be they saved money by staying out of wars ? )

We in the US have still not caught up with the UK & Company
interms of a National Health Plan---but there's hope
on the way with Hilary !

At any rate the power of TV and its effect on our
visions of the present give us hope and put fear
in the hearts of the Politicos who keep the Goodies
for themselves---maybe now that we know they'll
have to SHARE !

Answer 3

World War I probably had quite a bit of influence on the creation of a social security system, with Woodrow Wilson's numerous government programs (almost a war socialism) and the federalization of the nation's banking system.