The Condition Of Women' Welfare In The Establishing Period Of American Social Security

In 1935, the Social Security Law was passed by the congress of the United States, whose enacting marked the establishment of the contemporary Social Security System of America. It was not only the result of Roosevelt government's endeavor, but also the achievement of every social group's mutual endeavor. Among these, women, who were called the most majority minority group, played an active role in the making and carrying out of the American social security legislations. This thesis is in a researching view of the social security's history, which uses the knowledge of Sociology, Woman and History. It analyses how the American women played close attention to social welfare and how the women'organizations fought for welfare. And it discusses the women'welfare condition in the establishing period of American social security. Moreover, it explains how the women affected the establishment of the American Social Security mutually. This thesis includes five parts:The first part is an introduction, which introduces the research objective, the meaning, and the academic background.The second part is the mentality of American women'right, which analyses mainly the condition of discriminating against women in the United States and discusses that wars and feminist movement act as a direct stimulus to the mentality of American women'right. With the influence of the idea from England, which thinks the heavy male is lightly female, American women was in no-right position over a long period of time and was regarded as men'accessories. Their main arena is the home. However, the outbreak of the Revolutionary War and American Civil War and the upsurge of the feminist movement made women increase the awareness of themselves and the anticipation of the society. Thus, they devote themselves to the society and fight for their selves'rights and welfare. The third part introduces the social welfare propositions of women'organizations and their influences. With the mentality of American women'right, they started to organize to take part in every kind of revolutions and social activities. Women'organization was an effective way for American women to fight for welfare. The Hull House, the National Consumer's League, the Women's Club, the Women's Trade Union League and the Birth Control League played an active role in the establishment of the American Social Security System.The fourth part is the condition of women'welfare in the establishing period of American social security, which discusses the position of women'welfare in the social security legislations and the general condition of women'welfare. With the endeavor of women'organization, the state government of the United States enacted many laws of protecting children and women, which then became the main target group of welfare. After 1935, with the influence of women'organization, the federal government stared to take notice of the minority group. But the object of the social security changed to be men. Women just became an edge group of welfare. Even though there were social security legislations, American women only enjoyed limited welfare in the aspects of birth health, employment and marriage and family.The fifth part points out the basic research conclusions and the main shortage, and analyzes the reasons of the relation between the establishment of the American Social Security System and women.