Comment by boelboel
8 days ago
A large part of it is originally rooted in racism if you look how the US implemented its welfare state. Many benefits were skewed towards white americans (GI Bill, right to claim land, redlining and social security). I'm sure most Americans aren't nearly as racist right now as back then but the being 'on their own' is linked to the 'don't want 'lazy' african americans to get benefits'.
How were Social Security and the GI Bill skewed towards white Americans, exactly? I haven't heard that before.
Social security had exceptions for farmworkers as well as domestic workers (which was the majority of black people at the time of creation). GI Bill had far more benefits for white Americans as they used it to join great universities in emerging fields. Black Americans mostly used it to go into trades school or underfunded black universities. Access to mortgages through the GI bill was far greater for white people.
Although most these things are better now these things have long lasting consequences for the wealth distribution in the US.