The prehistory of Social Security was a series of pitched political battles centered on the Townsend Plan and a senior citizens' pension movement. Today's old-age advocates should take note.
References
1.
AmentaEdwin. When Movements Matter: The Townsend Plan and the Rise of Social Security (Princeton University Press, 2006). Provides a theory of social movement influence and traces the impact of the Townsend Plan and the pension movement on Social Security.
2.
BerkowitzEdward D.. America's Welfare State: From Roosevelt to Reagan (Johns Hopkins University Press, 1991). An excellent introduction and overview of the development of modern U.S. social policy.
3.
BrinkleyAlan. Voices of Protest: Huey Long, Father Coughlin and the Great Depression (Vintage, 1984). An atmospheric and analytical historical account of two leaders with followers similar to those of Townsend in their initial political moment.
4.
GiugniMarcoMcAdamDougTillyCharles, eds. How Movements Matter: Theoretical and Comparative Studies on the Consequences of Social Movements. (University of Minnesota Press, 1999). Wide-ranging theoretical and empirical essays from social scientists addressing the impact of social movements.
5.
WitteEdwin. The Development of the Social Security Act (University of Wisconsin Press, 1962). An essential, if flawed, primary source that describes the events as they happened from the perspective of a key administration player.
