Still On Welfare, Still Divided: Understanding Support for the United States Welfare State

Author

• Ryan M. Camire, CUNY Graduate CenterFollow

Date of Degree

6-2026

Document Type

Doctoral Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy

Program

Social Welfare

Advisor

Mimi Abramovitz

Committee Members

Bryan Warde

Barbra Teater

Subject Categories

Social Policy | Social Welfare | Social Work

Keywords

Social Welfare Policy, Welfare State, Public Opinion

Abstract

This dissertation examines attitudes toward federal social welfare spending during the Neoliberal Era (1968-2020). Although most individuals receive some form of federal government support during their lives, many do not recognize their connection to the welfare state and even express hostility toward programs they personally benefit from. Mettler (2018) describes this misalignment as the Government-Citizen Disconnect. Using social construction theory as a framework, this study examines five social determinants identified in the literature that may affect attitudes toward the welfare state. They include self-interest, evaluations of government performance, ideological viewpoints, deservingness judgments, and racial attitudes.

The analysis focuses on three programs: means-tested public assistance (AFDC/TANF and food stamps/SNAP), Social Security retirement, and tax benefits. Using pooled data from the American National Election Studies Time Series, the study employs descriptive and bivariate analysis to examine how spending preferences correspond to the social determinants identified in the literature across programs.

The findings provide evidence of the Government-Citizen Disconnect across all three programs examined. Social determinants, including self-interest, evaluations of government performance, ideological viewpoints, deservingness judgments, and racial attitudes, strongly shape preferences for welfare-state spending. However, the alignment between likely program use and support varies across programs. These differences correspond to how programs are delivered, framed, and understood. Taken together, the results indicate that attitudes toward the welfare state reflect the interaction between individual social determinants and differences in program characteristics rather than occurring randomly or uniformly across the welfare state.

Recommended Citation

Camire, Ryan M., "Still On Welfare, Still Divided: Understanding Support for the United States Welfare State" (2026). CUNY Academic Works.
https://academicworks.cuny.edu/gc_etds/6624