How did people live before Social Security and welfare?

Answer 1

For starters, young people thought long and hard before bringing a baby into the world, so population was under control. It was up to the individuals to work and save for their future. The government didn't grab their money through taxes. There were still drunks, hobos, and lazy good for nothing people...but they all moved to California to make movies and did just fine.

Answer 2

Amazing that in the 69 years since Socialist Security came into existence how screwed up it has become.

Pretty darned well for the most part... people put more money away, spent less, and didn't depend on the government to care for their every need. Folks then also didn't have to surrender 25-40% of their income in taxes to support BS programs.

My grandfather died in 1932, leaving a wife and four kids with a tiny State Pension. The kids all worked part-time as well as went to school full time (all four were class valedictorian). My grandmother never recieved welfare, even though HER case was EXACTLY what welfare was intended for. She got a teaching job, and worked until she was 68... she had stuffed away quite abit of money, and NEVER spent her Social Security checks as we discovered when she passed in 2000 at the age of 105.

Answer 3

They actually worked, and they worked hard. When the time came that the individual wasn't able to work any longer they were moved in with the family who then took care of them. These people also put money back for their future, some didn't believe in banks and burried $ in the yard or hid it behind pictures in the frame etc. What a hard life to live. I think the welfare system has been taken advantage of. Don't get me wrong, it's a good thing to have for help when one needs it but so many abuse the system and raise families on it for years.

Answer 4

People didn't raise their children to be welfare babies and people did not expect to be taken care of from cradle to grave. People knew they actually had to be productive citizens and they made smarter life decisions. Those who ran into hard times were helped along by their families and through charitable organizations.
Now, people expect to be taken care of, make horrible decisions in their life and expect the government and taxpayers to bail them out and, the worst part, they train their children to live the same way.
Humans have been around for millions of years and welfare as we know it has been around for less than a century. I think we not only proved we can live without it, we have proven we are better off without it. 100 years ago we had families who were poor but willing to work anywhere they could and found a way to make ends meet through work, extended family and charities and churches. Today we have drug filled, murder infested, crack baby housing projects where not one resident can say they have a better life than a poor family of 100 years ago.

Answer 5

Did you know there was no income tax before the world wars in the US.

We lived off the income that was left over by paying our bills and actually saved our money, unlike today's generation. And unlike today, not a third of our pay check was not taken out by the goverment and left us wondering how we going to make it to collect social security with the pittance left over from our earnings.

Answer 6

More people lived in extended families. Old people without that support often recieved aid from churches. Others lived in rat infested apartments and often went hungry.

Answer 7

The government didn't interfere in peoples lives.their was no income tax and families took care of their own. The people were stronger, more independent and they didn't set around waiting for the government to take care of them.

Answer 8

It didn't matter much since life expectancy was in th 50 year range.

Answer 9

Some in abject poverty, probably dying from it.