Why Americans Hate Welfare: Race, Media, and the Politics of Antipoverty Policy (Studies in Communication, Media, and Public Opinion) 1st Edition

by Martin Gilens (Author)

26 ratings

ISBN-13: 978-0226293653

ISBN-10: 0226293653

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Tackling one of the most volatile issues in contemporary politics, Martin Gilens's work punctures myths and misconceptions about welfare policy, public opinion, and the role of the media in both. Why Americans Hate Welfare shows that the public's views on welfare are a complex mixture of cynicism and compassion; misinformed and racially charged, they nevertheless reflect both a distrust of welfare recipients and a desire to do more to help the "deserving" poor.

"With one out of five children currently living in poverty and more than 100,000 families with children now homeless, Gilens's book is must reading if you want to understand how the mainstream media have helped justify, and even produce, this state of affairs." —Susan Douglas, The Progressive
"Gilens's well-written and logically developed argument deserves to be taken seriously." —Choice

"A provocative analysis of American attitudes towards 'welfare.'. . . [Gilens] shows how racial stereotypes, not white self-interest or anti-statism, lie at the root of opposition to welfare programs." -Library Journal

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Editorial Reviews

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Publisher ‏ : ‎ University of Chicago Press; 1st edition (October 1, 2000)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 303 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0226293653
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0226293653
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.13 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 8.86 x 7.12 x 0.78 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #280,237 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #148 in Government
- #185 in Public Policy (Books)
- #352 in Social Services & Welfare (Books)

Customer Reviews:
26 ratings

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2 star		7%
1 star		11%

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Chan

Great review of the perception of welfare in America

Reviewed in the United States on March 3, 2016

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Very good study on how skewed Americans view of welfare and welfare recipients really is. It's a info dense book, so don't expect a page turner- but if you're looking for really great research material, you'd be smart to look here.

6 people found this helpful

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Tracey T.

Four Stars

Reviewed in the United States on July 1, 2018

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Great read!

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Drew

Great book

Reviewed in the United States on December 5, 2013

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Gilens is a rockstar, I had to read this book for a polysci class and I really enjoyed it, he makes some good and interesting points and backs them up with tons of data making all his research very reliable. For the period it was written (1998 I think?) he had some revolutionary ideas.

5 people found this helpful

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Randy

opens your eyes

Reviewed in the United States on May 9, 2016

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should be a must read for all Americans

2 people found this helpful

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bill

Ok book

Reviewed in the United States on February 8, 2014

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Book was ok. Easy to read and made some sense. The author didn't really take a side just talks stats and his conclusions.

3 people found this helpful

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AUTISTIC WEREWOLFTop Contributor: Photography

WELFARE WAS A FLAWED CONCEPT FROM THE VERY BEGINNING, THE IDEA OF PAYING PEOPLE TO BE BONE IDLE WAS & IS JUST PLAIN STUPID

Reviewed in the United States on April 5, 2014

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No I am not a rabid conservative but, I do think myself a reasonable man. Pay able bodied people to sit home and collect a check and you encourage sloth simple as that. Also fashion a captialist economic system that is unable to provide the number of living wage jobs needed to employ those wanting to work and you create the logical needs based foundation that supports the concept of "Welfare!" Both sides contribute to the disgrace that is welfare. On one side we have the super rich who now have so much money thay can never spend it all. On the other hand we have hard working honorable US citizens toiling away at dead end, low paying minimum wage jobs that make life so hard its just a hint above slavery. Walfare is the admission that while capitalism is a far better system than communism it has its serious flaws. Thw gap between the rich and poor continues to grow. The working poor are increasingly being treated like modern day slaves who suffer long hours, abusive labor practices insisted on by greedy ruthless corporations who would see the streets run red with blood just to make another dollar profit on the bottom line.

Welfare is an ugly truth made neccessary by the failings of capitism in the area of wealth distribution. Welfare is so often seen as a program for the poor when in fact it is a program that aid's the rich corporations. Only because of welfare can today's mega corporations afford to pay the minimum slave wages that maximize profits at the expense of hard working class people. Huge corporations and their disgusting ugly fat cat slob investors are getting rich off the blood and suffering of the working poor. Welfare is a sick system but, let's be clear on who reaps its rewards. A person ellegible for food stamps, section 8 housing or TANIF is hardly living the life of a QUEEN Welfare or otherwise. The true Queens of the Welfare Rackets are the corporations who rake in huge profits by paying employees so little in wages that they and their families qualify for entitlements mean to help the poorest of the poor in our nation.

Oh yes Welfare is a disgrace but their are many reasons and many vilians in the welfare mess and they are not always those you most suspect. Welfare has a corportate purpose in addition to functioning as a safety net for the poor. If corporations were forced to pay a living wage there would be no need for the disgrace of welfare as we know it. It is true welfare robs able bodied working people of the dignity that comes only with work, but corporate greed robs a hard working person of the respect that is owed a person who puts in an honest days hard work. Welfare is a two edged sword both edges cut equally deep in liberal and conservative scared cows. The book lays bare the foolish ideas that are the foundation of the USA's welfare state. Why Americans Hate Welfare is also a book about corporate greed run amuck and how walfare is part of the cost of doing business for those who mega corporate giants that grow fat by paying low skilled workers slave wages. Americans Hate Welfare true but we all know Americans hate higher prices that come with paying a living wage even more the book explores these concepts and does a reasonable but far from perfect job of it.

19 people found this helpful

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Josh D

I bought this for a class

Reviewed in the United States on May 6, 2013

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I didn't really want this book, but I had to buy it for a class. It's okay I guess. Well written.

3 people found this helpful

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Amazon Customer

More evidence and research than insight

Reviewed in the United States on May 23, 2000

This books holds little appeal beyond the realm of Political Scientist. As someone university educated in the field I respect the many years research placed into this book. The explainations are extremely thorough- too much so?- and coupled with extensive graphs and charts. This is a great reference source on the subject of Public Opinion about welfare.
However, the book is a bore. Once you read the preface, introduction and first chapter you've basically finished the book. The rest explains each point- point by point. Interjected between points is explanations of each method used to analyze the point. Is examining the methods used to examine something overkill? Not in itself. However, Gilens drowns casual readers in analysis; and analysis of analysis. He seems to repeat himself often, as if restatement helps drive the point home. After several pages on a topic I could understand by reading a 1 page chart, I just wanted him to move on. Get to the point!
The insights are nothing new to those of use who ignored the dogmatic ramblings of both the ideological left and right for years. Gilens raises questions of racism and classism in people's opinions. That isn't anything new- to some of us
The book gets 4 stars only because of the extensiveness with which it examines the topic. Those intrested in Public Opinion, Welfare or the details of political research should check it out. Everyone else avoid.

28 people found this helpful

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