Activation from Income Support in the US

There is good news from the United States. The labour market is at nearly full employment and the number of persons receiving social assistance has reached a historically low level. This favourable economic context supported the political will for enactment of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Act of 1996 (PRWORA)1 - signifying the end of welfare as we know it. 2 

2 See William J. Clinton, acceptance speech to the Democratic National Convention of July 16,1992 (Cimini 2002). 

3 The current Bush administration puts special emphasis on work, with employment an assumed prerequisite for self-sufficiency (White House 2002). 

5 State TANF programs provide very low benefit levels (Lazere and Tallent 2006). 

6 Self-responsibility is to be distinguished from legal responsibility and legal duties selfresponsibility means freedom from legal regulations (Weischedel 1972). 

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