Liberalism, Postmodernism, and Welfare Policy

Welfare policy in the United States has changed dramatically with the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA) of 1996. The new policy mandated the implementation of the Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) program replacing the former Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) program implemented during the Great Depression. While arguments have been made in support of the TANF's success, others have identified its shortcomings. This article attempts to analyze the underlying principles in the debate over the legitimacy of welfare policy and income support. Included in this discussion is a postmodern critique of welfare policy. The argument put forth is that welfare rights need to be rethought in a postmodern society. Indeed, rights-based thinking in liberal political philosophy is inadequate. A postmodern welfare policy is presented as an alternative to current liberal models. The political project of postmodernism is to unmask the unseen describers and thus ...