Racial Diversity, Immigration, and Social Spending in the US
The chapter analyses the fractious relationship between racial diversity and the welfare state in the US—arguably the most influential case in NPD literature. It shows that US Whites are critical of welfare because their attitude rests on negative feelings about African-Americans and Latino immigrants. However, not all parts of the US welfare state are affected by this combination of race coding and low public support: means-tested welfare is badly affected but the social security components are not. These differences are traced back to their origins by comparing a highly race coded and unpopular welfare program (AFDC, and later TANF) with a non-coded, popular program of old age social security (OAI). Originally highly affected by racial considerations, the programs diverged because of their institutional design and their ability to raise and expand their political support bases.