Worth beyond Work? Civic Engagement and Social Support Provision of Benefit Recipients
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
6-6-2020
Abstract
Changes in government assistance laws over the last 30 years reflect concern that government benefits cause dependency. Public discourse classifies able-bodied, non-working individuals as “undeserving” of government assistance and the literature focuses on whether individuals receiving government assistance contribute to society by engaging in paid work. This study investigates if 120 residents of a low-resource community receiving more government assistance contribute to society at the same rates as those receiving less. Multivariate regression analysis results show that receiving more forms of government assistance is not associated with the degrees of civic engagement and social support provided, demonstrating equal social contributions.
Publication Source (Journal or Book title)
Journal of Poverty
First Page
300
Last Page
317
Recommended Citation
Livermore, M., Brown, M., & Lim, Y. (2020). Worth beyond Work? Civic Engagement and Social Support Provision of Benefit Recipients. Journal of Poverty, 24 (4), 300-317. https://doi.org/10.1080/10875549.2019.1703128