Regulating the poor

This book, first published in 1971 and updated in 1993, examines the functions of public welfare in regulating the poor.

Piven and Cloward argue that welfare policies serve to stave off social disorder by providing relief during times of economic instability and contracting during periods of economic stability, thereby enforcing labor market discipline.

The authors provide a comprehensive analysis of the U.S.

welfare state, comparing it to other advanced industrial nations and discussing its erosion during the Reagan, Bush, and Clinton administrations.

The book combines history, political interpretation, and sociological analysis to explain the role of welfare in maintaining social order and supporting the capitalist mode of production.