Carol Glassman on ‘Women and the Welfare System’

During the women's liberation movement, several feminist theorists examined how political and social issues surrounding welfare relate to women. Among the writings on welfare was Carol Glassman's essay "Women and the Welfare System," which appeared in the 1970 collection Sisterhood Is Powerful: An Anthology of Writings From the Women's Liberation Movement.

Like many of the writings in Sisterhood Is Powerful, Carol Glassman's piece examines a particular segment of oppressed women. Her essay probes attitudes toward women on welfare and looks for a better understanding of how a welfare system can trap its clients in no-win situations. She also touches on several concerns that are not "just" about women, such as poverty, community facilities and unemployment.

A Substitute Man

"Women and the Welfare System" begins with the declaration that the system of aid to families was set up to preserve the traditional "role" of women as child bearer and homemaker. According to Carol Glassman's analysis, welfare began in the early 20th century when organized labor movements succeeded in passing legislation regulating working conditions and child labor. Women who were heads of families had no place in the economic system. They were seen as supplementary wage earners and still faced economic discrimination. The legislature thus created a "substitute man" by passing the 1935 Social Security Act. If the government took over the financial burden, Carol Glassman writes, the woman would be freed to perform her "natural" and needed tasks of child care and housekeeping.

Carol Glassman criticizes the idea that there is something wrong with women who don't have men. She writes of welfare case workers who ask welfare recipients, "Why don't you have a man keep you?" However, she says, welfare actually functions like a husband, jealously making sure there the woman is not involved with any hidden male breadwinners. Welfare acts as an authority figure, doling out money while retaining control of women and examining private details of their lives.

Separation Disadvantages

At the time of writing "Women and the Welfare System," if a husband and wife separated, this often put the woman on welfare. The welfare system would then restrict the woman's living situation, but not the man's, while making her responsible for the children, but not him.

Furthermore, Carol Glassman points out, a single man at that time could earn $310 a month before the government considered him capable of contributing to support the family. However, that amount would be considered enough to support a woman and three children on the welfare budget.

Not-So-Free Market Disadvantages

The essay argues that welfare becomes an artificial economic base for the family and for big businesses. When women work temporarily in seasonal, low-paying jobs they don't make enough to get off welfare. Industry then benefits from welfare because employers don't have to pay a full-time or year-round worker a living wage: the welfare steps in to make the difference. However, the women still have to work hard and get paid very little.

Empowerment and Change

Like Johnnie Tillmon, who wrote "Welfare Is a Women's Issue," Carol Glassman worked with welfare rights organizations. One conclusion of "Women and the Welfare System" is that women on welfare who participate in welfare rights organizations are drawn out of their homes and into their communities. It gives them some independence to work in the activist movement, and it makes them see beyond the wife-and-mother identity to strive to do something more. Therefore, Carol Glassman concludes, "welfare-rights women are [a] potential base" for the expanding women's liberation movement.